Mercury Environmental Risk and Comprehensive Utilization Reduction Initiative

Mercury Environmental Risk and Comprehensive Utilization Reduction Initiative - Amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act (SWDA) to prohibit the sale or offering for sale of an alkaline or lead-acid battery unless the container is clearly labeled with a refund value, to be determined by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency according to class or category. Requires distributors of batteries to collect amounts of refund values from retailers and retailers to collect such amounts from consumers. Establishes procedures for return of refund values (and handling costs) and disposition of refunds that are unclaimed or in excess of amounts collected. Makes amounts of unclaimed refunds available for pollution prevention and recycling programs in the State.

Prohibits disposal of such a battery by a retailer or distributor in any landfill or other solid waste disposal facility.

Makes the refund program's requirements inapplicable in States with procedures substantially identical to those imposed by this Act or which demonstrate a battery recycling or reuse rate of at least 70 percent.

Establishes civil penalties for violations of refund program requirements.

Prohibits, with stated exceptions, the intentional introduction of mercury to packaging or a packaging component during manufacturing or distribution. Sets threshold levels for mercury presence in packaging or components. Requires manufacturers and suppliers to furnish certificates of compliance to purchasers and make such certificates available, upon request, to the public. Establishes civil penalties for violation of these prohibitions.

Amends the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act to prohibit the Administrator from registering or reregistering any fungicide containing phenylmercuric acetate and cancels existing registrations of such fungicides.

Requires the Administrator to study and report to the Congress on the use and disposal of mercury by the Department of Defense. Requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a program to the Congress for reducing mercury use in military products.

Amends SWDA to prohibit Federal agencies, State and local governments, and other waste management jurisdictions, after December 31, 1998, from issuing a permit or other prior approval for the construction or expansion of a municipal solid waste incinerator unless the applicant completes an environmental impact statement. Requires State solid waste plans to provide for separation, for recycling purposes, of mercury-containing items to be listed by the Administrator, including batteries, fluorescent light bulbs, electrical switches, and thermostats.

Amends the Clean Air Act to remove an exemption of electric utility steam generating units from the applicability of standards promulgated by the Administrator regarding certain hazardous air pollutants. Requires as part of a permit program administered by an air pollution control agency, in the case of such generating units and municipal and medical waste incinerators, the imposition of an additional fee of $500 per pound of mercury emissions from the unit or a greater amount determined to be necessary to cover the costs of a program to research technologies to reduce mercury emissions and remediate mercury contamination.

Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the Food and Drug Administration, to: (1) compile a list of drugs and foods containing intentionally introduced mercury compounds, together with a quantitative and qualitative analysis of such compounds; and (2) study the effect on humans of the use of such compounds in nasal sprays.