Subdivision 1. Definition. For the purposes of this section, "household batteries" means disposable or rechargeable dry cells commonly used as power sources for household or consumer products including, but not limited to, nickel-cadmium, alkaline, mercuric oxide, silver oxide, zinc oxide, lithium, and carbon-zinc batteries, but excluding lead acid batteries.

Subd. 2. Program. (a) The commissioner, in consultation with other state agencies, political subdivisions, and representatives of the household battery industry, may develop household battery programs. The commissioner must coordinate the programs with the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources Study on Batteries.

(b) The commissioner shall investigate options and develop guidelines for collection, processing, and disposal of household batteries. The options the commissioner may investigate include:

(1) establishing a grant program for counties to plan and implement household battery collection, processing, and disposal projects;

(2) establishing collection and transportation systems;

(3) developing and disseminating educational materials regarding environmentally sound battery management; and

(4) developing markets for materials recovered from the batteries.

(c) The commissioner may also distribute funds to political subdivisions to develop battery management plans and implement those plans.

Subd. 3. Participation. A political subdivision, on its own or in cooperation with others, may implement a program to collect, process, or dispose of household batteries. A political subdivision may provide financial incentives to any person, including public or private civic groups, to collect the batteries.

Subd. 4. [Obsolete, 1Sp2005 c 1 art 2 s 161]

History: 1Sp1989 c 1 art 20 s 14; 1994 c 639 art 5 s 3; 1Sp2005 c 1 art 2 s 161; 2006 c 243 s 21