SB 1512, relating to lighting that contains mercury; creating new provisions; and amending ORS 646.608, passed and was signed by the Governor in March 2012. Enrolled SB 1512 will become effective January 1, 2013.

The law sets standards for the amount of mercury that may be contained in general purpose lamps and prohibits manufacturers from selling lamps in Oregon that contain mercury in an amount exceeding the mercury content standards. It establishes state procurement guidelines that will ensure that the state looks at the full range of lighting issues including mercury content, energy use and lamp lifetime. The content standards in the law are the result of negotiations between lamp manufacturers, represented by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Metro, the regional government in the Portland metropolitan area. The law contains a provision for the legislature to look at changes in content standards that California may adopt in the future to help ensure that there is consistency between the two states.