HF2983

Purpose of the Bill

This Minnesota legislative bill aims to enhance consumer safety by regulating products containing harmful substances like lead, cadmium, arsenic, and chemicals of high concern, particularly focusing on menstrual products. It seeks to prevent the sale of these products if they contain specified harmful substances.

Main Provisions

• Prohibition of Harmful Chemicals in Products:

  • The sale, manufacture, or distribution of products containing more than 0.009% lead or 0.0075% cadmium is prohibited, unless preempted by federal law.
  • Menstrual products containing arsenic or chemicals of high concern are prohibited from sale.

• Product Testing and Labeling:

  • Manufacturers of menstrual products must label products that contain intentionally added synthetic ingredients.
  • Upon request, manufacturers must provide test results to verify that menstrual products do not contain lead, arsenic, or chemicals of high concern.

• Rulemaking and Enforcement:

  • The Pollution Control Agency is granted the authority to identify and control additional product categories that may contain lead, arsenic, or chemicals of high concern.
  • Enforcement of these provisions will be coordinated by the Pollution Control Agency, Department of Commerce, Health Department, and Attorney General's office.

• Compliance and Accountability:

  • Manufacturers must notify sellers about the prohibited sale of specific menstrual products.
  • A certificate of compliance is required from manufacturers to substantiate the absence of harmful chemicals in menstrual products.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Expansion of current consumer safety regulations to include a broader range of products requiring testing and labeling for hazardous chemicals.
• Specific focus on regulating and banning menstrual products with harmful chemicals, demonstrating increased attention to consumer health and environmental safety.

Relevant Terms

lead, cadmium, arsenic, chemicals of high concern, consumer safety, menstrual products, labeling, product testing, Pollution Control Agency, Department of Commerce, enforcement, synthetic ingredients, compliance.