By July 1, 2006, each hospital in Vermont shall submit a mercury reduction plan to the Agency, consistent with guidance provided by the Agency. The plan will cover all patient care sites owned or operated by the hospital. The plan shall identify and quantify mercury use and disposal related to patient care, including equipment and chemicals to the extent known through mercury content information provided by manufacturers or maintained by the Agency through labeling plans and notification. The plan will also set target mercury use reduction goals from the 2002 baseline year and will identify measures to be taken by the hospital to reduce mercury in patient care settings through reductions in use of equipment and chemicals containing mercury and through modifications in the hospital's purchasing policies and procedures with regard to products containing mercury. An updated plan shall be submitted on July 1, 2009 and each three years thereafter. The Agency may exempt a hospital from future plan updates if the hospital has achieved greater than 95 percent reduction in mercury use from the baseline year and has demonstrated to the Agency that written purchasing policies are in place to minimize or eliminate mercury use in products. (Added 2005, No. 13, § 1.)