Partial good news from the Michigan Legislature. In a last gasp move before adjourning for this session, lawmakers banned two kinds of PBDEs, which are a nasty family of chemicals that have been associated with neurological damage and other health effects in wildlife, and pose a risk to humans. Bad news: the manufacturer of the two compounds banned has already pledged to discontinue making them; and a third PBDE compound of great concern is not banned by this bill. But DEQ has a license to do its best to act on that compound, deca-PBDE. This ban was pursued by the Ecology Center and Michigan Environmental Council for the last 3 years. Here's the story from the sponsor of one of the bills, Rep. Chris Kolb of Ann Arbor:
PBDEs TO BE BANNED
Polybrominated diphenyl ether, or PBDE, is a fire-retardant often used as a flame retardant in computers, wiring, carpets, fabrics, upholstery, and foam products. PBDEs include: deca-PBDE; octa-PDBE; and penta-PDBE. In 1998, Swedish scientists discovered that PBDEs may pose significant risks to human and environmental health. As a result, the European Union and the states of California, Hawaii, Maine, New York and Washington took action to reduce, or ban, the use of PBDEs.
My legislation, along with Senate Bill 1458 sponsored by Senator Patricia Birkholz (R-Saugatuck), is part of a similar bi-partisan, bi-cameral effort to ban PBDEs in Michigan.
Specifically, HB 4406 will ban penta-PBDEs and SB 1458 will ban octa-PBDEs. Both bans are scheduled to go into effect by June 1, 2006. The legislation also directs the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to either form a PBDE advisory committee or use an existing structure to continue to follow other PBDE congeners and their possible threat to public health. Beginning with the June 1, 2006 ban, it will be a misdemeanor offense to use any banned PBDE, punishable by a $2,500 to $25,000 fine.
Posted by Dave at December 14, 2004 10:30 AM