Powers of department relative to air pollution

8. a. The department shall have power to formulate and promulgate, amend and repeal codes and rules and regulations preventing, controlling and prohibiting air pollution throughout the State or in such territories of the State as shall be affected thereby, except as provided in subsection b. of this section; provided, however, that no such code, rule or regulation and no such amendment or repeal shall be adopted except after public hearing to be held after 30 days' prior notice thereof by public advertisement of the date, time and place of such hearing, at which opportunity to be heard by the department with respect thereto shall be given to the public; and provided, further, that no such code, rule or regulation and no such amendment or repeal shall be or become effective until 60 days after the adoption thereof as aforesaid. Any person heard at such public hearing shall be given written notice of the determination of the department. All codes, rules and regulations heretofore adopted by the Air Pollution Control Commission shall continue in full force and effect subject to the power of the department to amend and repeal such codes, rules and regulations as provided by this act. b. Unless otherwise required by federal law, rule or regulation, no code, regulation, rule or standard may be adopted by the department that diminishes the efficacy of a hospital or medical disinfectant in killing or inactivating agents of infectious diseases, including, but not limited to, restrictions on the volatile organic compound content or emissions caused by the use of such products. No federal requirement to reduce volatile organic compound content or emissions in general may be construed to permit the department to regulate the volatile organic compounds found in, or released in the use of, a hospital or medical disinfectant, unless the federal law, rule or regulation establishing the federal requirement specifically requires the reduction of volatile organic compounds found in, or released in the use of, hospital or medical disinfectants.