S 109 Session 109 (1991-1992)
S 0109 General Bill, By T.H. Pope, Bryan, Courson, Giese, J.C. Hayes, Leventis,
I.E. Lourie, S.S. Martschink, Moore, M.F. Mullinax, M.T. Rose, Russell,
J.M. Waddell, M.B. Williams and Wilson
A Bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Section
44-53-50 so as to prohibit the sale of cleaning agents containing phosphates,
to provide exceptions, and to provide penalties for violation.
09/17/90 Senate Prefiled
09/17/90 Senate Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs
01/08/91 Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-53
01/08/91 Senate Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs SJ-53
A BILL
TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
BY ADDING SECTION 44-53-50 SO AS TO PROHIBIT THE SALE
OF CLEANING AGENTS CONTAINING PHOSPHATES, TO
PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS, AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR
VIOLATION.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Article 1, Chapter 53, Title 44 of the 1976 Code is
amended by adding:
"Section 44-53-50. (A) Except as otherwise provided in this
section, a person may not use, sell, manufacture, or distribute for use or
sale in this State any cleaning agent that contains more than zero percent
phosphorus by weight expressed as elemental phosphorus except for an
amount not exceeding five-tenths of one percent that is incidental to
manufacturing. For the purposes of this section, 'cleaning agent' means
a laundry detergent, dishwashing compound, household cleaner, metal
cleaner, industrial cleaner, phosphate compound or other substance that
is intended to be used for cleaning purposes.
(B) A person may use, sell, manufacture, or distribute for use or
sale, a cleaning agent that contains greater than zero percent phosphorus
by weight but does not exceed eight and seven-tenths percent
phosphorus by weight that is:
(1) a detergent used in a dishwashing machine, whether
commercial or household; and
(2) a substance excluded from the zero percent phosphorus
limitation of this section by regulations adopted by the Department of
Health and Environmental Control which are based on a finding that
compliance with this section would:
(i) create a significant hardship on the user; or
(ii) be unreasonable because of the lack of an adequate
substitute cleaning agent.
(C) This section does not apply to a cleaning agent that is:
(1) used in dairy, beverage, or food processing equipment;
(2) a product used as an industrial sanitizer, brightener, acid
cleaner, or metal conditioner, including phosphoric acid products or
trisodium phosphate;
(3) used in hospitals, veterinary hospitals, clinics, or health care
facilities or in agricultural or dairy production or in the manufacture of
health care supplies;
(4) used in a commercial laundry that provides laundry services
for a hospital, health care facility, or veterinary hospital;
(5) used by industry for metal cleaning or conditioning;
(6) manufactured, stored, or distributed for use or sale outside
of this State;
(7) used in any laboratory, including a biological laboratory,
research facility, chemical laboratory, and engineering laboratory;
(8) used for cleaning hard surfaces, including household
cleansers for windows, sinks, counters, ovens, tubs, or other food
preparation surfaces and plumbing fixtures;
(9) used as a water softening chemical, antiscale chemical, or
corrosion inhibitor intended for use in closed systems, such as boilers,
air conditioners, cooling towers, or hot water heating systems.
(D) The Department of Health and Environmental Control shall
promulgate regulations to administer and enforce the provisions of this
section. Any cleaning agent held for sale or distribution in violation of
this section may be seized by appropriate administrative or law
enforcement personnel. The seized cleaning agents are considered
forfeited.
(E) A person who knowingly sells, manufactures, or distributes
any cleaning agent in violation of the provisions of this section shall
receive a written warning from the Department of Health and
Environmental Control for the first violation. For a subsequent
violation, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction,
must be fined not more than five thousand dollars orimprisoned not
more than one year. Each unlawful sale constitutes a separate
violation."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 1991.
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