Purchase, storage, or use of free flowing elemental mercury or instrument that contains mercury; restrictions; absence of mercury-free alternative for instrument; disposal of mercury and instruments containing mercury.

(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2), the board of a school district, local act school district, or intermediate school district; governing board of a nonpublic school; or board of directors of a public school academy shall ensure that after December 31, 2004 the school district, intermediate school district, nonpublic school, or public school academy does not purchase, store, or use free flowing elemental mercury for any experiment, display, or other purpose and does not purchase, store, or use an instrument that contains mercury, including, but not limited to, a thermometer, barometer, or sphygmomanometer, or manometer containing mercury. (2) After December 31, 2004, if no reasonably acceptable, mercury-free alternative exists for an instrument used by the school district, intermediate school district, nonpublic school, or public school academy, then the school district, intermediate school district, nonpublic school, or public school academy may use the instrument that contains the lowest mercury content available on the market. (3) The board of a school district, local act school district, or intermediate school district; governing board of a nonpublic school; or board of directors of a public school academy shall ensure that the school district, intermediate school district, nonpublic school, or public school academy disposes of mercury and instruments containing mercury in accordance with applicable state and federal law.