South Carolina § 44-96-180 - Lead-acid batteries.

§ 44-96-180. Lead-acid batteries.

(A) Twelve months after this chapter is effective, no person shall knowingly place a used lead-acid battery in mixed municipal solid waste, discard or otherwise dispose of a lead-acid battery, except by delivery to:

(1) a lead-acid battery retailer or wholesaler;

(2) a collection, recycling, or recovered material processing facility that is registered by the department to accept lead-acid batteries; or

(3) a permitted secondary lead smelter.

(B) Twelve months after this chapter is effective, no battery retailer shall knowingly dispose of a used lead-acid battery except by delivery to:

(1) the agent of a lead-acid battery wholesaler or the agent of a permitted secondary lead smelter;

(2) a vehicle battery manufacturer for delivery to a permitted secondary lead smelter;

(3) a collection, recycling, or recovered material processing facility that is registered by the department to accept lead-acid batteries; or

(4) a permitted secondary lead smelter.

(C) Any person violating the provisions of subsections (A) or (B) shall be subject to a fine not to exceed two hundred dollars. This provision may be enforced by a state, county, or municipal law enforcement official or by the department. Each lead-acid battery improperly disposed of shall constitute a separate violation.

(D) A person selling lead-acid batteries or offering lead-acid batteries for retail sale in this State shall:

(1) accept, at the point of transfer, lead-acid batteries from customers; and

(2) post written notice, visible to customers, at his place of business which must be at least eight and one-half inches by eleven inches in size and must contain the following language:

(a) "It is illegal to put a motor vehicle battery in the garbage."

(b) "Recycle your used batteries."

(c) "State law requires us to accept motor vehicle batteries for recycling".

(E) No person may recover from the owner or operator of a lead-acid battery collection center any costs of response actions resulting from a release of either a hazardous substance from lead-acid batteries, unless the owner or operator is grossly negligent in the operation of the public lead-acid battery collection center, or recovered materials processing facility. Nothing in this section shall affect or modify in any way the obligations or liability of any person under any other provisions of state or federal law, including common law, for injury or damage resulting from the release of hazardous substances.

(F) For sales made on or after November 1, 1991, there is imposed a fee of two dollars per lead-acid battery sold to the ultimate consumer, whether the battery is installed by the seller or not. The retailer is to remit the fee to the Department of Revenue on a monthly basis. The Department of Revenue shall administer, collect, and enforce the lead-acid battery disposal fee in the same manner that the sales and use taxes are collected pursuant to Chapter 36 of Title 12. However, taxpayers are not required to make payments under Section 12-36-2600. In lieu of the discount allowed pursuant to Section 12-36-2610, the taxpayer may retain three percent of the total fees collected as an administrative collection allowance. This allowance applies whether or not the return is timely filed. The department shall deposit all fees collected to the credit of the State Treasurer. The State Treasurer is required to establish a separate and distinct account from the state general fund. The lead-acid battery disposal fee must be credited to the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund by the State Treasurer.

(G) The lead-acid battery retailer must charge a five dollar refundable deposit for each battery sold for which a core is not returned to the retailer. The deposit must be returned to the consumer if a core is returned to the same retailer within thirty days.

(H) The department shall produce, print, and distribute the notices required by subsection (D) to all lead-acid battery retailers.

(I) Any person selling lead-acid batteries at wholesale or offering lead-acid batteries for sale at wholesale must accept, at the point of transfer, lead-acid batteries from customers.

(J) Not later than eighteen months after this chapter is effective, the department shall promulgate regulations necessary to carry out the requirements of this section. Such regulations may include the imposition of reasonable fees to assist in defraying the costs of the regulatory activities of the department required by this section.

(K) All state agencies, all political subdivisions using state funds to procure items, and all persons contracting with such agency or political subdivision where such persons procure items with state funds shall procure recycled lead-acid batteries where practicable, subject to the provisions of Section 44-96-140(D).

(L)(1) Within eighteen months after enactment of this subsection, the department shall conduct a study on the recycling and disposal of small sealed lead-acid batteries.

(2) Within twelve months after completion of the study required in paragraph (1), the department must promulgate regulations regarding the proper management and disposal of small sealed lead-acid batteries. It shall be unlawful for any person to incinerate or place any small sealed lead-acid battery in a landfill.

HISTORY: 1991 Act No. 63, SECTION 1; 1992 Act No. 450, SECTION 4; 1992 Act No. 450, SECTION 5; 1993 Act No. 181, SECTION 1157; 2000 Act No. 405, SECTION 15.