(3) Report to Congress on mercury compounds(A) ReportNot later than one year after October 14, 2008, the Administrator shall publish and submit to Congress a report on mercuric chloride, mercurous chloride or calomel, mercuric oxide, and other mercury compounds, if any, that may currently be used in significant quantities in products or processes. Such report shall include an analysis of—(i) the sources and amounts of each of the mercury compounds imported into the United States or manufactured in the United States annually;
(ii) the purposes for which each of these compounds are used domestically, the amount of these compounds currently consumed annually for each purpose, and the estimated amounts to be consumed for each purpose in 2010 and beyond;
(iii) the sources and amounts of each mercury compound exported from the United States annually in each of the last three years;
(iv) the potential for these compounds to be processed into elemental mercury after export from the United States; and
(v) other relevant information that Congress should consider in determining whether to extend the export prohibition to include one or more of these mercury compounds.
(B) ProcedureFor the purpose of preparing the report under this paragraph, the Administrator may utilize the information gathering authorities of this subchapter, including sections 2609 and 2610 of this title.
(4) Essential use exemption(A) Any person residing in the United States may petition the Administrator for an exemption from the prohibition in paragraph (1), and the Administrator may grant by rule, after notice and opportunity for comment, an exemption for a specified use at an identified foreign facility if the Administrator finds that—(i) nonmercury alternatives for the specified use are not available in the country where the facility is located;
(ii) there is no other source of elemental mercury available from domestic supplies (not including new mercury mines) in the country where the elemental mercury will be used;
(iii) the country where the elemental mercury will be used certifies its support for the exemption;
(iv) the export will be conducted in such a manner as to ensure the elemental mercury will be used at the identified facility as described in the petition, and not otherwise diverted for other uses for any reason;
(v) the elemental mercury will be used in a manner that will protect human health and the environment, taking into account local, regional, and global human health and environmental impacts;
(vi) the elemental mercury will be handled and managed in a manner that will protect human health and the environment, taking into account local, regional, and global human health and environmental impacts; and
(vii) the export of elemental mercury for the specified use is consistent with international obligations of the United States intended to reduce global mercury supply, use, and pollution.
(B) Each exemption issued by the Administrator pursuant to this paragraph shall contain such terms and conditions as are necessary to minimize the export of elemental mercury and ensure that the conditions for granting the exemption will be fully met, and shall contain such other terms and conditions as the Administrator may prescribe. No exemption granted pursuant to this paragraph shall exceed three years in duration and no such exemption shall exceed 10 metric tons of elemental mercury.
(C) The Administrator may by order suspend or cancel an exemption under this paragraph in the case of a violation described in subparagraph (D).
(D) A violation of this subsection or the terms and conditions of an exemption, or the submission of false information in connection therewith, shall be considered a prohibited act under section 2614 of this title, and shall be subject to penalties under section 2615 of this title, injunctive relief under section 2616 of this title, and citizen suits under section 2619 of this title.
(7) Prohibition on export of certain mercury compounds(A) In generalEffective January 1, 2020, the export of the following mercury compounds is prohibited:(i) Mercury (I) chloride or calomel.
(ii) Mercury (II) oxide.
(iii) Mercury (II) sulfate.
(iv) Mercury (II) nitrate.
(v) Cinnabar or mercury sulphide.
(vi) Any mercury compound that the Administrator adds to the list published under subparagraph (B) by rule, on determining that exporting that mercury compound for the purpose of regenerating elemental mercury is technically feasible.
(B) PublicationNot later than 90 days after June 22, 2016
(C) PetitionAny person may petition the Administrator to add a mercury compound to the list published under subparagraph (B).
(D) Environmentally sound disposalThis paragraph does not prohibit the export of mercury compounds on the list published under subparagraph (B) to member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development for environmentally sound disposal, on the condition that no mercury or mercury compounds so exported are to be recovered, recycled, or reclaimed for use, or directly reused, after such export.
(E) ReportNot later than 5 years after June 22, 2016, the Administrator shall evaluate any exports of mercury compounds on the list published under subparagraph (B) for disposal that occurred after June 22, 2016, and shall submit to Congress a report that—(i) describes volumes and sources of mercury compounds on the list published under subparagraph (B) exported for disposal;
(ii) identifies receiving countries of such exports;
(iii) describes methods of disposal used after such export;
(iv) identifies issues, if any, presented by the export of mercury compounds on the list published under subparagraph (B);
(v) includes an evaluation of management options in the United States for mercury compounds on the list published under subparagraph (B), if any, that are commercially available and comparable in cost and efficacy to methods being utilized in such receiving countries; and
(vi) makes a recommendation regarding whether Congress should further limit or prohibit the export of mercury compounds on the list published under subparagraph (B) for disposal.
(F) Effect on other lawNothing in this paragraph shall be construed to affect the authority of the Administrator under the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.).