The governor of Maine has signed two bills into act restricting the use of deca-PBDE, a flame retardant, and mercury-added button cell batteries.

The Challenge:

Effective January 1, 2010, a person may not manufacture, sell or offer for sale or distribute for sale, or use in the State a television or computer products that has a plastic housing containing more than 0.1%, of the "deca" mixture of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE).

Exemptions:

• Used Products;
• Products if the presence of PBDE is due solely to the use of recycled material; or
• Replacement parts that contain the "octa" or "penta" mixtures of PBDE, and if the parts are used in a product manufactured before January 1, 2006.

More stringent on mercury-added button cell batteries requirement:

After June 30, 2011, no person may sell or offer to sell, distribute for promotional purposes a mercury-added button cell battery as follows or a product that contains any of the following mercury-added button cell battery:

• A zinc-air button cell battery;
• An alkaline manganese button cell battery; or
• A silver oxide button cell battery stamped with the designation SR357, SR364, SR371, SR377 or SR395.

Further, after January 1, 2015, no person may sell or offer to sell or distribute for promotional purposes a silver oxide mercury-added button cell battery or a product that contains it.

For more information about product safety, you may ask Intertek expert by filling in this enquiry form.