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<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".03" citation="COMAR 26.08.06.03" title_num="26" subtitle_num="08" chapter_num="06" heading="Phosphate Ban.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>After December 1, 1985, a person may not use, sell, manufacture, or distribute for use or sale any cleaning agent that contains phosphorous, except as provided below:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Products that may be used, sold, manufactured, or distributed for use or sale regardless of phosphorous content include:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>A detergent:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Used in dairy, beverage, or food processing cleaning equipment,</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Used in hospitals, veterinary hospitals, clinics, health care facilities, or in agricultural production,</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>Used by industry for metal cleaning or conditioning,</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iv)">
          <text>Manufactured, stored, or distributed for use or sale outside the State,</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(v)">
          <text>Used in any laboratory, including a biological laboratory, research facility, chemical laboratory, and engineering laboratory,</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(vi)">
          <text>Used in a commercial laundry that provides laundry services for a hospital, health care facility, or veterinary hospital, or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(vii)">
          <text>Used for surface cleaning, appliance cleaning, or specialty home cleaning, and not for dishwashing or laundry;</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>A phosphoric acid product, including a sanitizer, brightener, acid cleaner, or metal conditioner;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>A substance the Department excludes from the phosphorous limitations of this section based on a finding that compliance with this section would:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Create a significant hardship on the user, or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Be unreasonable because of the lack of an adequate substitute cleaning agent that could be substituted for the subject cleaning agent without significant cost or effect differences.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Laundry Detergents. After December 1, 1985, a person may use, sell, manufacture, or distribute for use or sale a laundry detergent that contains 0.5 percent phosphorous or less that is incidental to manufacturing.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Dishwashing Detergents. After December 1, 1985, a person may use, sell, manufacture, or distribute for use or sale a dishwashing detergent that contains 8.7 percent phosphorous or less by weight.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Products Used in Coin-Operated Laundries and Septic Tanks. The Department finds that no significant hardship exists for owners of coin-operated laundries and for owners of septic tanks, so products used by these two groups are specifically included in the phosphate ban.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>Penalties.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>A person who uses a cleaning agent in violation of this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $100.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>A person who sells, distributes, or manufactures a cleaning agent in violation of this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $1,000.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>The Department may seize any cleaning agent held for sale or distribution in violation of this chapter. The seized cleaning agents are considered forfeited.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>