SF2445

Purpose of the Bill

The aim of this bill is to amend existing Minnesota legislation to temporarily exempt certain writing instruments from the prohibition on manufacturing and selling lead-containing products.

Main Provisions

• Exemption Details: The bill introduces an exemption that allows pens containing lead to be imported, manufactured, sold, or distributed in Minnesota until January 1, 2028. This is an exception to the general rule against the sale or distribution of products with lead content exceeding 0.009 percent by total weight (90 parts per million).
• Reporting Requirements: Manufacturers of pens that are exempt from the lead prohibition must submit reports every six months to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. These reports should include:
  1. Barriers to eliminating lead from their pen products.
  2. Progress towards compliance with the ban.
  3. A timeline for when the pens will meet legal requirements.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

Before this amendment, laws in Minnesota prohibited the import, manufacture, and sale of any product containing more than the specified amount of lead. This amendment temporarily relaxes that rule specifically for pens, providing the industry with a period to transition towards compliance.

Relevant Terms

• Lead-containing products
• Lead exemption
• Pollution Control Agency
• Lead prohibition
• Compliance timeline