Connecticut 2021 2021 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB00926 Comm Sub / Bill

Filed 04/14/2021

                     
 
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General Assembly  Substitute Bill No. 926  
January Session, 2021 
 
 
 
 
 
AN ACT CONCERNING TH E PRESENCE OF PFAS IN CERTAIN 
CONSUMER PACKAGING.  
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General 
Assembly convened: 
 
Section 1. Section 22a-255h of the general statutes is repealed and the 1 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 2 
As used in sections 22a-255g to 22a-255m, inclusive, as amended by 3 
this act: 4 
(1) "Package" means any container, produced either domestically or 5 
in a foreign country, used for the marketing, protecting or handling of a 6 
product and includes a unit package, an intermediate package and a 7 
shipping container, as defined in the American Society of Testing and 8 
Materials specification D966. "Package" also means any unsealed 9 
receptacle such as a carrying case, crate, cup, pail, rigid foil or other tray, 10 
wrapper or wrapping film, bag or tub. 11 
(2) "Distributor" means any person who takes title or delivery from 12 
the manufacturer of a package, packaging component or product, 13 
produced either domestically or in a foreign country, to use for 14 
promotional purposes or to sell. 15 
(3) "Packaging component" means any part of a package, produced 16  Substitute Bill No. 926 
 
 
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either domestically or in a foreign country, including, but not limited to, 17 
any interior or exterior blocking, bracing, cushioning, weatherproofing, 18 
exterior strapping, coating, closure, ink, label, dye, pigment, adhesive, 19 
stabilizer or other additive. Tin-plated steel that meets specification 20 
A623 of the American Society of Testing and Materials shall be 21 
considered as a single packaging component. Electro-galvanized coated 22 
steel and hot dipped coated galvanized steel that meets the American 23 
Society of Testing and Materials specifications A653, A924, A879 and 24 
A591 shall be treated in the same manner as tin-plated steel. 25 
(4) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Energy and 26 
Environmental Protection or an authorized agent or designee of the 27 
commissioner. 28 
(5) "Department" means the Department of Energy and 29 
Environmental Protection. 30 
(6) "Intermediate package" means a wrap, box, or bundle which 31 
contains two or more unit packages of identical items. 32 
(7) "Unit package" means the first tie, wrap, or container applied to a 33 
single item, a quantity of the same item, a set, or an item with all its 34 
component parts, which constitutes a complete and identifiable package 35 
containing the unit of issue of a product for ultimate use. 36 
(8) "Shipping container" means a container which is sufficiently 37 
strong to be used in commerce for packing, storing and shipping 38 
commodities. 39 
(9) "Container" means a receptacle capable of closure. 40 
(10) "Intentionally introduced" means deliberately utilized regulated 41 
metal, PFAS or other regulated chemical in the formulation of a package 42 
or packaging component where the continued presence of such metal or 43 
chemical is desired in the final package or packaging component to 44 
provide a specific characteristic, appearance or quality. The use of a 45 
regulated metal or regulated chemical as a processing agent or 46  Substitute Bill No. 926 
 
 
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intermediate to impart certain chemical or physical changes during 47 
manufacturing where the incidental retention of a residue of said metal 48 
in the final package or packaging component is neither desired nor 49 
deliberate shall not be considered intentional introduction for the 50 
purposes of this section where such package or component is in 51 
compliance with subsection (c) of section 22a-255i, as amended by this 52 
act. The use of a regulated chemical as a processing agent, mold release 53 
agent or intermediate is considered intentional introduction for the 54 
purposes of this section where the regulated chemical is detected in the 55 
final package or packaging component. The use of post-consumer 56 
recycled materials as feedstock for the manufacture of new packaging 57 
materials where some portion of the recycled materials may contain 58 
amounts of the regulated metals or regulated chemicals shall not be 59 
considered intentional introduction for the purposes of this section 60 
provided the new package or packaging component is in compliance 61 
with subsection (c) or (e) of section 22a-255i, as amended by this act, as 62 
applicable. 63 
(11) "Distribution" means the process for transferring a package or 64 
packaging component for promotional purposes or resale. Persons 65 
involved solely in delivering a package or packaging component on 66 
behalf of third parties shall not be considered distributors. 67 
(12) "Manufacturer" means any person producing a package or 68 
packaging component as defined in subdivision (3) of this section. 69 
(13) "Manufacturing" means the physical or chemical modification of 70 
a material to produce packaging or packaging components. 71 
(14) "Supplier" means any person, firm, association, partnership or 72 
corporation which sells, offers for sale or offers for promotional 73 
purposes packages or packaging components which will be used by any 74 
other person to package a product. 75 
(15) "Alternative" means a substitute process, product, material, 76 
chemical, strategy or any combination thereof, that serves a functionally 77  Substitute Bill No. 926 
 
 
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equivalent purpose to another chemical in a package or packaging 78 
component. 79 
(16) "Chemical" means a substance with a distinct molecular 80 
composition or a group of structurally related substances and includes 81 
the breakdown products of the substance that form through 82 
decomposition, degradation or metabolism of such substance. 83 
(17) "Credible scientific evidence" means the results of a study, the 84 
experimental design and conduct of which have undergone 85 
independent scientific peer review, that are published in a peer-86 
reviewed journal or in a publication of an authoritative federal or 87 
international governmental agency, including, but not limited to, the 88 
United States Department of Health and Human Services' National 89 
Toxicology Program, the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers 90 
for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States Environmental 91 
Protection Agency, the World Health Organization and the European 92 
Union's European Chemicals Agency. 93 
(18) "Incidental presence" means the presence of a regulated metal or 94 
other regulated chemical as an unintended or undesired ingredient of a 95 
package or packaging component. 96 
(19) "Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances" or "PFAS" 97 
means all members of the class of fluorinated organic chemicals 98 
containing at least one fully fluorinated carbon atom. 99 
(20) "Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxic" or "PBT" substances and 100 
"very Persistent and very Bioaccumulative" or "vPvB" substances mean 101 
substances meeting the criteria established in Section 1 of Annex XIII to 102 
the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of 103 
Chemicals (REACH) Regulation of the European Union (EC) No 104 
1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 105 
December 2006, as amended. 106 
(21) "Persistent, Mobile and Toxic" or "PMT" substances and "very 107 
Persistent and very Mobile" or "vPvM" substances mean substances 108  Substitute Bill No. 926 
 
 
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meeting the criteria established in "REACH: Improvement of guidance 109 
and methods for the identification and assessment of PMT/vPvM 110 
substances: Final Report." TEXTE 126/2019. Environmental Research of 111 
the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and 112 
Nuclear Safety. Project No. (FKZ) 3716 67 416 0, Report No. 113 
FB000142/ENG. November 2019. 114 
(22) "Post-consumer recycled material" means a material generated 115 
by households or by commercial, industrial and institutional facilities as 116 
end-users of the product which can no longer be used for its intended 117 
purpose, including returns of material from the distribution chain. 118 
"Post-consumer recycled material" does not include refuse-derived fuel 119 
or other material that is destroyed by incineration. 120 
(23) "Recycling" means the process of collecting and preparing 121 
recyclable materials and reusing the materials in their original form or 122 
using them in manufacturing processes that do not cause the destruction 123 
of recyclable materials in a manner that precludes further use. 124 
(24) "Substitute material" means a material used to replace lead, 125 
cadmium, mercury, or hexavalent chromium, PFAS or other regulated 126 
chemicals in a package or packaging component. 127 
(25) "Toxic chemical" is a chemical listed as a packaging chemical of 128 
high concern pursuant to section 22a-255m, as amended by this act. 129 
Sec. 2. Section 22a-255i of the general statutes is repealed and the 130 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 131 
(a) As soon as feasible, but not later than October 1, 1992, no package 132 
or packaging component shall be offered for sale or promotional 133 
purposes in this state, by its manufacturer or distributor, if it is 134 
composed of any lead, cadmium, mercury or hexavalent chromium 135 
which has been intentionally introduced during manufacturing or 136 
distribution, as opposed to the incidental presence of any of these 137 
substances. 138  Substitute Bill No. 926 
 
 
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(b) As soon as feasible, but not later than October 1, 1992, no product 139 
shall be offered for sale or promotional purposes, in this state by its 140 
manufacturer or distributor, in a package which is composed of any 141 
lead, cadmium, mercury or hexavalent chromium which has been 142 
intentionally introduced during manufacturing or distribution, as 143 
opposed to the incidental presence of any of these substances. 144 
(c) No package or packaging component shall be offered for sale or 145 
promotional purposes in this state by its manufacturer or distributor if 146 
the sum of the incidental concentration levels of lead, cadmium, 147 
mercury and hexavalent chromium present in such package or 148 
packaging component exceeds the following: Six hundred parts per 149 
million by weight, effective October 1, 1992; two hundred fifty parts per 150 
million, effective October 1, 1993; and one hundred parts per million by 151 
weight, effective October 1, 1994. 152 
(d) Concentration levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, and hexavalent 153 
chromium shall be determined using the United States Environmental 154 
Protection Agency Tests Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste, SW-846, 155 
as revised. 156 
(e) Not later than October 1, 2023, a manufacturer, supplier or 157 
distributor may not offer for sale or for promotional purposes a package 158 
or packaging component to which PFAS was introduced during 159 
manufacturing or distribution in any amount or that has any detectable 160 
PFAS in such package or packaging component. Nothing in this 161 
subsection shall be construed to apply to any package or packaging 162 
component for any medical device or medical equipment. 163 
(f) No material used to replace a chemical regulated by sections 22a-164 
255g to 22a-255m, inclusive, as amended by this act, in a package or 165 
packaging component may be used in a quantity or manner that creates 166 
a hazard as great as, or greater than, the hazard created by the chemical 167 
regulated by sections 22a-255g to 22a-255m, inclusive.  168 
Sec. 3. Section 22a-255k of the general statutes is repealed and the 169  Substitute Bill No. 926 
 
 
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following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 170 
[No manufacturer or distributor of a product shall be deemed to have 171 
violated any provision of sections 22a-255g to 22a-255m, inclusive, if 172 
such manufacturer or distributor can show that, in the purchase of a 173 
package or packaging component, he relied in good faith on the written 174 
assurance of the manufacturer of such packaging or packaging 175 
component that such packaging or packaging component met the 176 
requirements of section 22a-255i. Such written assurance shall take the 177 
form of a certificate of compliance stating that a package or packaging 178 
component is in compliance with the requirements of sections 22a-255g 179 
to 22a-255m, inclusive, provided if compliance is achieved pursuant to 180 
an exemption provided in section 22a-255j, the certificate shall state the 181 
specific basis upon which the exemption is claimed. The certificate of 182 
compliance shall be signed by an authorized official of the manufacturer 183 
or distributor. A manufacturer or distributor of a package or packaging 184 
component shall furnish a copy of the certificate of compliance to the 185 
commissioner upon his request.]  186 
(a) Upon request, a certificate of compliance stating that a package or 187 
packaging component is in compliance with the requirements of 188 
sections 22a-255g to 22a-255m, inclusive, as amended by this act, shall 189 
be furnished by its manufacturer or supplier to the purchaser of the 190 
packaging or packaging component. In the event that an exemption is 191 
claimed pursuant to section 22a-255j, such certificate of compliance shall 192 
state the specific basis upon which the exemption is claimed. Any such 193 
certificate of compliance shall be signed by an authorized official of the 194 
manufacturing or supplying company. The purchaser shall retain the 195 
certificate of compliance for the duration of the use of such package or 196 
packaging component. A copy of the certificate of compliance shall be 197 
kept on file by the manufacturer or supplier of the package or packaging 198 
component. No requirement of this subsection shall be construed to 199 
apply to any package or packaging component for any medical device 200 
or medical equipment. 201 
(b) Certificates of compliance, or copies thereof, shall be furnished to 202  Substitute Bill No. 926 
 
 
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the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection and to 203 
members of the public upon request. A manufacturer or supplier may 204 
make the certificate of compliance available on such manufacturer's 205 
Internet web site or through an authorized representative of such 206 
manufacturer, including, but not limited to, a packaging clearinghouse. 207 
Any request from a member of the public for any certificate of 208 
compliance from the manufacturer or supplier of a package or 209 
packaging component shall be: (1) Made in writing, with a copy 210 
provided to the commissioner, (2) made specific as to the package or 211 
packaging component information requested, and (3) responded to by 212 
the manufacturer or supplier not later than sixty days after receipt of 213 
such request. 214 
(c) If the manufacturer or supplier of the package or packaging 215 
component reformulates or creates a new package or packaging 216 
component, the manufacturer or supplier shall provide an amended or 217 
new certificate of compliance for the reformulated or new package or 218 
packaging component to all current purchasers. 219 
(d) If there are grounds to suspect that a package is offered for sale in 220 
violation of this chapter, the commissioner may request that the 221 
manufacturer or distributor of the package provide a certificate of 222 
compliance with the applicable provisions of this chapter. Not later than 223 
thirty days after receipt of a request under this subsection, the 224 
manufacturer or distributor shall: (1) Provide the commissioner with the 225 
certificate attesting that the package does not contain a chemical 226 
regulated under this chapter, or (2) notify persons who sell the package 227 
in this state that the sale of the package is prohibited and provide the 228 
commissioner with a copy of the notice and a list of the names and 229 
addresses of those persons notified pursuant to this section. 230 
Sec. 4. Section 22a-255m of the general statutes is repealed and the 231 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 232 
(a) The commissioner may, in consultation with the other member 233 
states of the Toxics in Packaging Clearing House, review the 234  Substitute Bill No. 926 
 
 
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effectiveness of sections 22a-255g to 22a-255m, inclusive, and provide a 235 
report based on such review to the Governor and the General Assembly. 236 
[The] As indicated in subsection (c) of this section, the report may 237 
describe substitutes which manufacturers and distributors of packages 238 
and packaging components have used in place of lead, mercury, 239 
cadmium and hexavalent chromium, and may contai	n 240 
recommendations concerning (1) other toxic substances contained in 241 
packaging that should be added to those regulated under the provisions 242 
of sections 22a-255g to 22a-255m, inclusive, in order to further reduce 243 
the toxicity of packaging waste, and (2) the advisability of retaining the 244 
exemption provided in subdivision (2) of section 22a-255j. 245 
(b) For the purpose of gathering information for the review and 246 
report described in subsection (a) of this section, the commissioner may 247 
inspect and copy the records of any person (1) engaged in the 248 
manufacture or distribution of packages or packaging components if 249 
such records pertain to the processes by which such packages or 250 
packaging components are manufactured, including the nature and 251 
amounts of substances utilized, and (2) who produces or supplies 252 
materials for the manufacture of packages or packaging components, if 253 
such records pertain to the nature and amount of substances in such 254 
materials or the identities or locations of purchasers or recipients of such 255 
materials. Upon request of the commissioner, any such person shall 256 
allow the commissioner to inspect and copy such records or shall 257 
provide copies of such records to the commissioner. 258 
(c) In accordance with the requirements of this section, the 259 
commissioner may periodically revise and publish a list of packaging 260 
chemicals of high concern. A chemical may be included on such list if: 261 
(1) The chemical is included on the list of chemicals of concern published 262 
by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection on the basis 263 
of credible scientific evidence as being (A) a carcinogen, a reproductive 264 
or developmental toxicant or an endocrine disruptor, (B) persistent, 265 
bioaccumulative and toxic, (C) very persistent and very 266 
bioaccumulative, (D) persistent mobile and toxic, or (E) very persistent 267  Substitute Bill No. 926 
 
 
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and very mobile; (2) the commissioner determines that there is strong 268 
credible scientific evidence that the chemical is a reproductive or 269 
developmental toxicant, endocrine disruptor or human carcinogen; or 270 
(3) the commissioner determines that there is strong credible scientific 271 
evidence that the chemical (A) was found through biomonitoring 272 
studies to be present in human blood, human breast milk, human urine 273 
or other human bodily tissues or fluids, (B) was found through sampling 274 
and analysis to be present in packaging, and (C) was added to or is 275 
present in a package. 276 
(d) The commissioner may periodically review the list published 277 
pursuant to subsection (c) of this section and shall remove from the list 278 
any packaging chemical of high concern that no longer meets the criteria 279 
contained in subsection (c) of this section. The commissioner may add 280 
to the list additional packaging chemicals of high concern that meet the 281 
criteria of subsection (c) of this section provided such list may not at any 282 
one time include more than ten packaging chemicals of high concern. 283 
(e) A packaging chemical of high concern listed pursuant to 284 
subsection (c) of this section shall be considered a toxic chemical. To 285 
fulfill this chapter's goal of reducing the toxicity of packaging waste, the 286 
commissioner may recommend to the joint standing committee of the 287 
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the 288 
environment that such toxic chemical be added to the prohibited 289 
chemicals regulated pursuant to sections 22a-255g to 22a-255m, 290 
inclusive, not later than two years after the date of such 291 
recommendation.   292 
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following 
sections: 
 
Section 1 July 1, 2021 22a-255h 
Sec. 2 July 1, 2021 22a-255i 
Sec. 3 July 1, 2021 22a-255k 
Sec. 4 July 1, 2021 22a-255m 
  Substitute Bill No. 926 
 
 
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ENV Joint Favorable Subst.