WASHINGTON STATUTES AND CODES

70.95M.050 - Prohibited sales -- Novelties, manometers, thermometers, thermostats, motor vehicles, bulk mercury.

Prohibited sales — Novelties, manometers, thermometers, thermostats, motor vehicles, bulk mercury.

(1) Effective January 1, 2006, no person may sell, offer for sale, or distribute for sale or use in this state a mercury-added novelty. A manufacturer of mercury-added novelties must notify all retailers that sell the product about the provisions of this section and how to properly dispose of any remaining mercury-added novelty inventory.

     (2)(a) Effective January 1, 2006, no person may sell, offer for sale, or distribute for sale or use in this state a manometer used to measure blood pressure or a thermometer that contains mercury. This subsection (2)(a) does not apply to:

     (i) An electronic thermometer with a button-cell battery containing mercury;

     (ii) A thermometer that contains mercury and that is used for food research and development or food processing, including meat, dairy products, and pet food processing;

     (iii) A thermometer that contains mercury and that is a component of an animal agriculture climate control system or industrial measurement system or for veterinary medicine until such a time as the system is replaced or a nonmercury component for the system or application is available;

     (iv) A thermometer or manometer that contains mercury that is used for calibration of other thermometers, manometers, apparatus, or equipment, unless a nonmercury calibration standard is approved for the application by the national institute of standards and technology;

     (v) A thermometer that is provided by prescription. A manufacturer of a mercury thermometer shall supply clear instructions on the careful handling of the thermometer to avoid breakage and proper cleanup should a breakage occur; or

     (vi) A manometer or thermometer sold or distributed to a hospital, or a health care facility controlled by a hospital, if the hospital has adopted a plan for mercury reduction consistent with the goals of the mercury chemical action plan developed by the department under section 302, chapter 371, Laws of 2002.

     (b) A manufacturer of thermometers that contain mercury must notify all retailers that sell the product about the provisions of this section and how to properly dispose of any remaining thermometer inventory.

     (3) Effective January 1, 2006, no person may sell, install, or reinstall a commercial or residential thermostat that contains mercury unless the manufacturer of the thermostat conducts or participates in a thermostat recovery or recycling program designed to assist contractors in the proper disposal of thermostats that contain mercury in accordance with 42 U.S.C. Sec. 6901, et seq., the federal resource conservation and recovery act.

     (4) No person may sell, offer for sale, or distribute for sale or use in this state a motor vehicle manufactured after January 1, 2006, if the motor vehicle contains an automotive mercury switch.

     (5) Nothing in this section restricts the ability of a manufacturer, importer, or domestic distributor from transporting products through the state, or storing products in the state for later distribution outside the state.

     (6) Effective June 30, 2012, the sale or purchase and delivery of bulk mercury is prohibited, including sales through the internet or sales by private parties. However, the prohibition in this subsection does not apply to immediate dangerous waste recycling facilities or treatment, storage, and disposal facilities as approved by the department and sales to research facilities, or industrial facilities that provide products or services to entities exempted from this chapter. The facilities described in this subsection must submit an inventory of their purchase and use of bulk mercury to the department on an annual basis, as well as any mercury waste generated from such actions.