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Minnesota's new law designed to reduce the level of toxic metals escaping from batteries into the environment is being called the most comprehensive of its type nationally.
The law, which awaits Gov. Rudy Perpich's signature, sets new requirements for batterymakers and users. It is considered to be one of this session's chief environmental measures. Backers hope to minimize the amount of mercury and cadmium escaping from landfills or incinerators.
The law requires batterymakers to reduce mercury content in alkaline batteries and tries to push industrial and government users of more toxic types of batteries toward alkaline cells. It requires manufacturers to provide a system for collecting and processing batteries used by government and industry. The law, which passed in the House and Senate last week, also requires makers of rechargeable products, such as hand vacuum cleaners, to...