Manufacturers would have until June 30, 2012, to notify the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) whether they intend to replace their manufacturing processes with mercury-free processes or cease manufacturing. This legislation also would prohibit the export from the United States of any mixtures containing mercury, effective immediately upon enactment.
Because only a few facilities in the United States currently use manufacturing processes involving mercury, CBO estimates that enacting this bill would not impose any significant costs on EPA. Any additional administrative or enforcement costs incurred would be subject to the availability of appropriations. Enacting this legislation would not affect direct spending or revenues.
By prohibiting the export or use of mercury by facilities that manufacture chlorine or caustic soda, H.R. 2190 would impose mandates as defined in UMRA. According to information from EPA, four facilities in the United States use mercury for those purposes. The bill would require those facilities to cease operations by June 30, 2013, or convert to a manufacturing process that does not use mercury by June 30, 2015.
Read full CBO document here