CLEANING AGENTS W/ PHOSPHORUS S.B. 362 (S-3): FLOOR ANALYSIS
Senate Bill 362 (Substitute S-3 as reported)
Sponsor: Senator Patricia L. Birkholz
Committee: Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs
CONTENT
The bill would amend Part 39 (Cleaning Agents) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to prohibit the sale or distribution of cleaning agents containing phosphorus in excess of 0.5% by weight intended for use in household clothes washers.
Currently, Part 39 prohibits a person from selling or distributing for use in this State a cleaning agent that contains phosphorus in any form in excess of 8.7% by weight expressed as elemental phosphorus. Under the bill, this would be subject to the provision regarding household use. Also, the bill would extend the current prohibition to offering for sale and distributing for sale cleaning agents containing phosphorus in excess of 8.7% by weight.
The bill is tie-barred to Senate Bill 152. Senate Bill 152 (S-2) contains a similar prohibition regarding cleaning agents used in household dishwashers.
MCL 324.3902 Legislative Analyst: Julie Cassidy
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no direct fiscal impact on the State. An indeterminate and indirect fiscal impact could be realized in the long term. Phosphorus is a nutrient necessary for the growth of algae; however, an abundance of phosphorous encourages the excessive growth of algae and other plant species in water. Decay of large amounts of plant material and additional growth of invasive species can lead to a reduction in water quality. If the amount of phosphorus in Michigan's waters were reduced, less money could be necessary to address water quality and aquatic invasive species in the long term. The primary sources of manmade phosphorus are sewage treatment systems, run-off from fertilized lawns or animal manure storage, water treatments, drained wetlands, disturbed land areas, and commercial cleaning products.
Date Completed: 3-29-07 Fiscal Analyst: Jessica Runnels
Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb362/0708