ST. PAUL 鈥� Minnesota is set to make exemptions in its metal ban for keys and types of paint, after industry leaders said the ban had effectively made their products illegal.
In 2023, the Minnesota Legislature that made it illegal to import, manufacture, sell, hold for sale, distribute or offer products that contained certain amounts of lead and cadmium. After lawmakers and key manufacturers said at a press conference on May 13 that the Legislature prepared to pass exemptions for keys and paint in the upcoming special session.
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The exemption made its way into the agreement, posted on May 29. The bill, if passed, will exempt keys until 2028; after that, all keys must 鈥渃ontain lead equal to or less than 1.5 percent by total weight.鈥� The bill also makes a full exemption for 鈥減rofessional artist materials, including but not limited to oil-based paints, water-based paints, paints, pastels, pigments, ceramic glazes, markers, and encaustics.鈥�
While the law went into effect in July of 2023, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) had set a strict compliance deadline of July 1, 2025.
Rob Justen of Doyle Security Products said in May that small manufacturers had already stopped supplying him with products in anticipation of the compliance deadline. He said that at a National Conference of security distributors in April, he was told there would soon be 鈥渘o other option than to just not sell in the state of Minnesota.鈥�
鈥淎pproximately 75% of all products that we stock 鈥� have become prohibited for sale,鈥� Justen said. 鈥淧utting businesses in a position to decide to comply with the law and start laying off employees, or possibly face punishment for not complying.鈥�
Sen. Grant Hauschild, DFL-Hermantown, led efforts in the Senate to make exemptions for the ban. His efforts were joined by Reps. Andrew Meyers, R-Tonka Bay; Bjorn Olson, R-Fairmont; and several stakeholders, including the Minnesota Retailers Association.
鈥淭his deal is a commonsense solution that strikes the right balance between keeping Minnesotans safe and allowing flexibility for small businesses across the state,鈥� Hauschild said in a statement on Thursday. 鈥淎s the Senate lead on this issue, I鈥檓 proud to say this agreement is the right path forward, and I look forward to getting it passed swiftly in our upcoming special session.鈥�
The MPCA declined to comment.
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The Trust Project
