The import, export and production of 8 types of mercury-added products will be banned from 2026!
Background: On July 5, 2024, the General Office of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment issued document No. 228 of the Environmental Affairs Office (2024) "Notice on publicly soliciting opinions on the Announcement on the Control Requirements of 8 Types of mercury-Adding products such as mercury vacuum pumps and dental Amalgam (Draft for soliciting Comments)".
On October 14, 2024, 17 departments including the Ministry of Ecology and Environment jointly issued No. 21 of 2024 "Announcement on the release of control requirements for 8 types of mercury-adding products such as mercury vacuum pumps and dental amalgam", prohibiting the production and import and export of related mercury-adding products after December 31, 2025 (see below for details).
Announcement on the release of 8 types of mercury-adding products such as mercury vacuum pumps and dental amalgam control requirements
On June 28, 2024, the tenth meeting of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress considered and approved the amendment to Annex A to the Minamata Convention on Mercury by Decision 4/3 of the Fourth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (hereinafter referred to as the Amendment). In order to implement the "Amendment", on the basis of the full implementation of the "Minamata Convention on Mercury" entry into force Announcement, further strengthen the management of mercury-added products, the relevant matters are now announced as follows:
(I) Compact fluorescent lamps with integrated ballasts, not exceeding 30 watts and containing not more than 5 mg of mercury per unit, for general lighting purposes, are prohibited from manufacturing, importing or exporting the following mercury-added products after 31 December 2025; Cold cathode fluorescent lamps and external electrode fluorescent lamps of various lengths for electronic display: 1. The length is short (≤500 mm), and the mercury content of a single branch does not exceed 3.5 mg; 2. Medium length (>500 mm and ≤1500 mm), the mercury content of a single branch does not exceed 5 mg; 3. The length is longer (>1500 mm), and the mercury content of a single branch does not exceed 13 mg; (3) Strain gauges used in plethysmographs; (iv) melt pressure sensors, melt pressure transmitters and melt pressure sensors (excluding electrical and electronic measuring instruments installed in large equipment or used for high-precision measurements where appropriate mercury-free alternatives are not available); (5) mercury vacuum pump; (6) tire balancers and wheel balancers; (7) photographic film and paper; (8) propellants for satellites and spacecraft.
Prohibition of the use of bulk mercury in dental treatment; The use of dental amalgams for dental treatment of baby teeth, patients under 15 years of age, and pregnant and lactating women is prohibited unless deemed necessary by the dentist in light of the patient's needs.
Third, it is prohibited to include mercury-added products that cannot be produced, imported or exported as stipulated in the Minamata Convention on Mercury and the Amendment into assembled products.
4. Unless otherwise specified, products used for research, instrument calibration or for reference standards shall not be subject to the above requirements concerning the prohibition of production, import and export.
5. The departments of ecological environment, development and reform, industry and information technology, natural resources, housing urban-rural construction, agriculture and rural areas, commerce, health, emergency management, customs, market supervision and administration, disease prevention and control and drug supervision and administration at all levels shall, in accordance with the provisions of relevant laws and regulations of the State, Strengthen the supervision and administration of the production, import and export of mercury-added products listed in the Amendment and the use of dental amalgam. Once violations of the public announcement are found, they will be dealt with severely in accordance with the law. It is hereby announced.
Ministry of Ecology and Environment
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
National Development and Reform Commission
Ministry of Science and Technology
Ministry of Industry and Information Technology
Department of Natural Resources
Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs
Commerce Department
National Health Commission
Department of emergency Management
General Administration of Customs
State Administration for Market Regulation
National Bureau of Statistics
National Energy Administration
National Bureau for Disease Control and Prevention
State Medical Products Administration October 14, 2024
The Minamata Convention on Mercury entry into Force Announcement (original) issued by the General Office of the Ministry of Environmental Protection on August 15, 2017
On April 28, 2016, the 20th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Twelfth National People's Congress ratified the Minamata Convention on Mercury (hereinafter referred to as the Mercury Convention). The Mercury Convention will enter into force for China on August 16, 2017.
In order to implement the Mercury Convention, we hereby announce the following matters:
Since August 16, 2017, the mining of new primary mercury mines has been prohibited, and local land and resources authorities have stopped issuing new exploration licenses and mining licenses for mercury mines. From August 16, 2032, primary mercury mining will be completely banned.
Since August 16, 2017, it is prohibited to use mercury, mercury compounds as catalysts or mercury-containing catalysts in the production process of new acetaldehyde, vinyl chloride monomer and polyurethane; It is prohibited to use mercury or mercury compounds in new production processes of sodium methanolate, potassium methanolate, sodium ethanolate and potassium ethanolate. In 2020, the amount of mercury used per unit product in the production process of vinyl chloride monomer was reduced by 50% compared with 2010.
It is prohibited to use mercury or mercury compounds to produce chlor-alkali (especially caustic soda). As of January 1, 2019, the use of mercury or mercury compounds as catalysts for the production of acetaldehyde is prohibited. As of August 16, 2027, the use of mercury-containing catalysts for the production of polyurethanes, and the use of mercury or mercury compounds for the production of sodium methanolate, potassium methanolate, sodium ethanolate, and potassium ethanolate are prohibited.
The production of mercury-containing switches and relays is prohibited. As of January 1, 2021, the import and export of mercury-containing switches and relays (excluding very accurate capacitance and loss measuring Bridges with a maximum mercury content of 20 mg per bridge, switch or relay and high-frequency RF switches and relays for monitoring instruments) will be prohibited.
5. It is prohibited to produce mercury preparations (highly toxic pesticide products) and mercury-containing batteries (mercury oxide primary batteries and battery packs, zinc mercury batteries, cylindrical alkaline manganese batteries with mercury content higher than 0.0001%, and button alkaline manganese batteries with mercury content higher than 0.0005%). As of January 1, 2021, the production and import and export of mercury-containing products listed in the Annex (except for the production of mercury-containing thermometers and mercury-containing sphygmomanometers) will be prohibited. As of January 1, 2026, the production of mercury-containing thermometers and blood-pressure monitors will be prohibited.
The relevant mercury-containing products will be included in the list of prohibited import and export commodities by the Ministry of Commerce together with other relevant departments, and will be published according to law.
Since August 16, 2017, the import and export of mercury shall comply with the Mercury Convention and the relevant management requirements of the import and export of toxic chemicals in China.
8. Environmental protection, development and reform, industry and information technology, land and resources, housing urban-rural construction, agriculture, commerce, health and family planning, customs, quality inspection, safety supervision, food and drug supervision, energy and other departments at all levels shall, in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations of the State, strengthen the supervision and administration of the production, use, import and export, discharge and release of mercury. And in accordance with the mercury Convention implementation time schedule requirements to carry out verification, once found in violation of this announcement, will be investigated in accordance with the law.
Attachment: Mercury-added products Catalogue (see below) Ministry of Environmental Protection Ministry of Foreign Affairs Development and Reform Commission Ministry of Science and Technology Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Ministry of Finance Land and Resources Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ministry of Agriculture Ministry of Health and Family Planning Commission of Customs General Administration of Quality Inspection General Administration of Safety Supervision General Administration of Food and Drug Administration Bureau of Statistics Energy Bureau August 1, 2017 5 Issued by the General Office of the Ministry of Environmental Protection on August 15, 2017
Attachment: Mercury-added (containing mercury) product list
(1) Batteries, excluding button type silver zinc oxide batteries containing less than 2% mercury and button type zinc air batteries containing less than 2% mercury. (Mercury oxide primary cells and battery packs, zinc mercury batteries, cylindrical alkaline manganese batteries with mercury content higher than 0.0001%, and button alkaline manganese batteries with mercury content higher than 0.0005% are eliminated in accordance with the requirements of the Industrial Structure Adjustment Guidance Catalogue (2011 edition) (2013 amendment).)
Switches and relays, excluding capacitance and loss measuring Bridges of very high accuracy with a maximum mercury content of 20 mg per bridge, switch or relay and high-frequency RF switches and relays for monitoring instruments. (Eliminated in accordance with the requirements of the Guidance Catalogue for Industrial Structure Adjustment (2011 edition) (Revised in 2013).)
Compact fluorescent lamps not exceeding 30 watts and containing more than 5 mg of mercury per unit for general lighting purposes.
The following straight tube fluorescent lamps for general lighting purposes: (I) Straight tube fluorescent lamps with less than 60 watts and a single mercury content of more than 5 mg (using trichromatic phosphors); (b) less than 40 watts (including 40 watts) and a single mercury content of more than 10 mg straight tube fluorescent lamps (using halogen phosphate phosphor).
High pressure mercury lamps for general lighting purposes.
Cold cathode fluorescent lamps and external electrode fluorescent lamps for electronic display: (a) short length (≤500 mm) and a single mercury content of more than 3.5 mg; (b) medium length (>500 mm and ≤1500 mm) and the mercury content of a single branch exceeds 5 mg; (c) the length is longer (>1500 mm) and the mercury content of a single branch exceeds 13 mg.
Cosmetics (containing more than one part per million of mercury), including brightening soaps and creams, excluding eye cosmetics that use mercury as a preservative and have no effective and safe alternative to preservatives.
Pesticides, biological insecticides and topical antimicrobials. (Mercury preparations (highly toxic pesticide products) are required to be eliminated in accordance with the Guidance Catalogue for Industrial Structure Adjustment (2011 edition) (amended in 2013) and the Notice on Combating the Illegal Production and Sale of Banned and Restricted Highly Toxic Pesticides and Regulating the Use of Pesticides (Nongnong Fa (2010) No. 2).)
Non-electronic measuring instruments, such as barometers, hygrometers, pressure gauges, thermometers and sphygmomanometers, do not include non-electronic measuring devices installed in large equipment or used for high-precision measurements where appropriate mercury-free alternatives are not available.
Note:
This catalog does not cover the following products:
(a) Products necessary for civil protection and military use;
2. Products used for research, instrument calibration or for reference standards;
3. Switches and relays, cold cathode fluorescent lamps and external electrode fluorescent lamps for electronic displays, and measuring instruments where viable mercury-free alternatives are not available;
4. Products used in tradition or religion;
5. Vaccines using thiomersal as a preservative.
