EU amends mercury Regulation
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On 24 May 2017, the Official journal of EU published its Regulation on mercury (EU) 2017/852, which regulates the use, storage and trade requirements of metallic mercury, mercury compounds and mercury mixtures, as well as the export, import and manufacturing of the mercury-added products, and expounds the management of mercury wastes. The regulations comes into force on the 20th day of the official publication of the EU, with effect from January 1, 2018, and (EC) No1102/2008 The banning of exports of metallic mercury and certain mercury compounds and mixtures and the safe storage of metallic mercurywill be abolished.

On 18 May 2017, the European Union and its seven member states (Bulgaria, Denmark, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Romania and Sweden) signed theMinamata convention,which protects the public from mercury, one of the world’s top ten chemicals that threaten human health.

The full name ofMinamata conventionisMinamata convention on mercury,which has 128 signatories. This convention will come into effect on 16 August 2017. It is a new global convention in the field of environment and health in the past decade, promoting the government to take concrete measures to control anthropogenic mercury pollution.

And the convention published by EU will be more stringent and specific, compared toMinamata Convention.According to (EU)2017/852, the import, export and manufacturing of mercury added products shall comply with the relevant restrictions from the appointed date, as shown in the table below.


Mercury-added products

Date from which the export, import and manufacturing of the mercury-added products are prohibited

1. Batteries or accumulators that contain more than 0,0005% of mercury by weight.

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2. Switches and relays, except very high accuracy capacitance an loss measurement bridges and high frequency radio frequency switches relays in monitoring and control instruments with a maximum mercury of 20 mg per bridge, switch or relay.

31.12.2020

3. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) for general lighting purposes:
(a)CFL.i≤30watts with a mercury content exceeding 2,5 mg per lamp burner;

(b)CFL.Ni≤30watts with a mercury content exceeding 3,5 mg per lamp burner.

31.12.2018

4. The following linear fluorescent lamps (LFLs) for general lighting purposes:
(a)Triband phosphor < 60 watts with a mercury content exceeding 5 mg per lamp;
(b)Halophosphate phosphor ≤40watts with a mercury content exceeding 10 mg per lamp.

31.12.2018

5. High pressure mercury vapour lamps (HPMVs) for general lighting purposes.

31.12.2018

6. The following mercury-added cold cathode fluorescent lamps and external electrode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs and EEFLs) for electronic displays:

(a)short length(≤500mm)with mercury content exceeding 3,5 mg per lamp;
(b)medium length(>500mm and ≤1500mm)with mercury content exceeding 5 mg per lamp;
(c)long length(>1500mm)with mercury content exceeding 13 mg per lamp.

31.12.2018

7. Cosmetics with mercury and mercury compounds, except thos special cases include in entire 16 and 17 Annex V to Regulation(EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council(1).

31.12.2020

8. Pesticides, biocides and topical antiseptics.

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9. The following non-electronic measuring devices:
(a)barometers;
(b)hygrometers;
(c)manometers;
(d)thermometers and other non-electrical thermometric applications;
(e)sphygmomanometer;
(f)strain gauges to be used with plethysmographs;
(g)mercury pycnometers;
(h)mercury metering devices for determination of the softening point.
This entry does not cover the following measuring devices:
—— non-electronic measuring devices installed in large-scale equipment or those used for high precision measurement where no suitable mercury-free alternative is available;
—— measuring devices more than 50 years old on 3 October 2007;
—— measuring devices which are to be displayed in exhibitions for cultural and historical purposes.

31.12.2020

(1) Regulation (EC) No 12233/2009 of the European Parliament and the Council of 30 November 2009 on cosmetic products (O)L 342,22.12.2009,P.59).

According to 2000/53/EC directive of EC on end-of life vehicles and EU RoHS directive 2011/65/EU, Switches and relays, electronic displays and measuring instruments containing mercury cold cathode fluorescent lamps and external electrode fluorescent lamps,When used to replace the relevant components of other equipment, and have verified that no mercury alternatives are available, can be exempted. Meanwhile, the published mercury convention does not apply to civil defense and military use products, as well as for research, instrument calibration or products for reference.

The new mercury-added products and the production process with mercury and mercury compounds will not be permitted unless it proves that it does not cause significant environmental or health hazards.

RoHS directives where restricts use of certain hazardous substances in EU electrical and electronic products, includes requirements of mercury that the mercury content of the homogeneous material of electrical and electronic appliance shall not exceed 1000 ppm; The REACH regulation also states that five or more phenylmercuric compounds in the article or in any part containing more than or equal to 0.01% shall not be put on the market after October 10, 2017; The published mercury convention also includes a limit number of products including batteries, switches, relays and fluorescent lamps and the implementation of the time. C&K Testing reminds the business to meet the relevant regulations.



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(EU) 2017/852

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