Prohibition on Export or Import of Mercury
A person must not export or import Part 1 chemicals as shown in Table 1 except under an export or import permit.
Table 1 – Part 1 Chemicals
| Type | |
|---|---|
|
1
|
Mercury |
|
2
|
Mercury mixture (a mixture, having a mercury concentration of at least 95% by weight, of mercury and other substances (including alloys of mercury)) |
Part 1 chemicals fulfilling the conditions in Table 2 can be exempted from the export or import permit control.
Table 2 – Exemption Conditions for Export / Import of Part 1 Chemicals
| Exempted Use | Mode of Transportation | Exempted Quantity (Total Quantity of Mercury in the Type of Chemical to which the Chemical Belongs) |
|---|---|---|
|
Part 1 chemical is exported or imported for use for laboratory-scale research or as a reference standard
|
In each package or container | ≤250 g |
| In single shipment | ≤5 kg |
Prohibition on Keeping or Use of Mercury or Mercury Compounds
A person must not keep or use Part 2 chemicals as shown in Table 3 except under a possession permit.
Table 3 – Part 2 Chemicals
Part 2 chemicals fulfilling the conditions in Table 4 can be exempted from the possession permit control.
Table 4 – Exemption Conditions for Keeping Part 2 Chemicals
| Premises for Keeping the Chemicals | Exempted Quantity (Total Quantity of Mercury in the Type of Chemical to which the Chemical Belongs) |
|
|---|---|---|
| Part 2 chemical is kept for use, or used for laboratory-scale research or as a reference standard | One single laboratory (if the chemical is kept or used in a specified laboratory as defined by section 8 of the Ordinance) | ≤500 g |
Remark: If 2 or more separate specified laboratories are situated on the same floor of a building, and the operation of those laboratories is supervised by the same person (whether alone or jointly with another person), those laboratories are regarded as a single laboratory.
Prohibition on Export, Import or Manufacture of Regulated Mercury-Added Products
- A person must not export, import or manufacture regulated mercury-added products listed in column 3 after the date specified in column 4 of Table 5.
- A person must not incorporate a regulated mercury-added product listed in column 3 into another thing as a component after the date specified in column 4 of Table 5.
- A person must not supply (including online exhibiting for supplying) regulated mercury-added products listed in column 3 after the date specified in column 5 of Table 5.
- The use of regulated mercury-added products does not constitute an offence.
Table 5 – Regulated Mercury-added Products
| Item | Sub-item | Description of Regulated Mercury-added Product | Date after which the manufacture, import or export of the product is prohibited | Date after which the supply of the product is prohibited |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A |
Battery, other than— |
1 December 2021 | 1 December 2024 |
| B | Battery — (a) button zinc silver oxide battery having a mercury content of less than 2% by weight; or (b) button zinc air battery having a mercury content of less than 2% by weight |
To be announced | To be announced | |
|
2
|
A |
Switch and relay, other than— |
1 December 2021 | 1 December 2024 |
| B | Very high accuracy capacitance and loss measurement bridges and high frequency radio frequency switches and relays in monitoring and control instruments with a maximum mercury content of 20 mg per bridge switch or relay, except those used for research and development purposes |
To be announced | To be announced | |
|
3
|
A |
Compact fluorescent lamp for general lighting that— |
1 December 2021 | 1 December 2024 |
| B | Compact fluorescent lamp for general lighting that — (a) is equipped with an integrated ballast; and (b) has a power output not exceeding 30 W (other than the mercury-added products listed in item 3A) |
31 December 2025 | January 2029 [1] | |
| C | Compact fluorescent lamp for general lighting that— (a) is equipped with an integrated ballast; or (b) is equipped with a non-integrated ballast (other than the mercury-added products listed in items 3A and 3B) |
To be announced | To be announced | |
|
4
|
A |
Linear fluorescent lamp for general lighting— |
1 December 2021 | 1 December 2024 |
| B | Linear fluorescent lamp for general lighting that is made of halophosphate phosphor (other than the mercury-added products listed in item 4A) |
To be announced | To be announced | |
| C | Non-linear, including U-bend and circular, fluorescent lamp for general lighting that is made of halophosphate phosphor (other than the mercury-added products listed in items 4A and 4B) |
To be announced | To be announced | |
| D | Linear fluorescent lamp, and non-linear (including U-bend and circular) fluorescent lamp, for general lighting that— (a) is made of triband phosphor; or (b) is made of halophosphate phosphor (other than the mercury-added products listed in items 4A, 4B and 4C) |
To be announced | To be announced | |
|
5
|
A |
High pressure mercury vapour lamp for general lighting |
1 December 2021 | 1 December 2024 |
|
6
|
A |
Cold cathode fluorescent lamp, and external electrode fluorescent lamp, for electronic display— |
1 December 2021 | 1 December 2024 |
| B | Cold cathode fluorescent lamp, and external electrode fluorescent lamp, of any length for electronic display (other than the mercury-added products listed in item 6A) |
31 December 2025 | January 2029 [1] | |
|
7
|
A |
Cosmetics having a mercury content exceeding 1 ppm— |
1 December 2021 | 1 December 2024 |
| B | Cosmetics, including skin lightening soap and cream, other than — (a) a cosmetic product that has unintentional trace quantities of mercury with a mercury content not exceeding 1 ppm [2] ; or (b) a cosmetic product that is intended by its manufacturer to be applied only in the vicinity of the eyes and— (i) that contains mercury as preservative; (ii) for which no effective and safe substitute for preservative is available; and (iii) that has a mercury content not exceeding 70 ppm (other than the mercury-added products listed in item 7A) |
To be announced | To be announced | |
|
8
|
A |
Biocide and topical antiseptic |
1 December 2021 | 1 December 2024 |
|
9
|
A |
The following non-electronic measuring devices—
(a) barometer; (b) hygrometer; (c) manometer; (d) thermometer; (e) sphygmomanometer, other than one that is installed in large-scale equipment, or used for high precision measurement, and for which no suitable mercury-free alternative is available in the market |
1 December 2021 | 1 December 2024 |
| 10 | A | Strain gauge to be used in plethysmograph | 31 December 2025 | January 2029 [1] |
| 11 | A | The following electrical and electronic measuring devices— (a) melt pressure transducer; (b) melt pressure transmitter; (c) melt pressure sensor, other than one that is installed in a large-scale equipment, or used for high precision measurement, and for which no suitable mercury-free alternative is available in the market |
31 December 2025 | January 2029 [1] |
| 12 | A | Mercury vacuum pump | 31 December 2025 | January 2029 [1] |
| 13 | A | Tyre balancer and wheel weight | 31 December 2025 | January 2029 [1] |
| 14 | A | Photographic film and paper | 31 December 2025 | January 2029 [1] |
| 15 | A | Propellant for satellites and spacecraft | 31 December 2025 | January 2029 [1] |
[1] The Government has set a grace period (until January 2029) for the supply of newly regulated mercury-added products listed under the Mercury Control Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 3) Notice 2025 to help the public adapt.
[2] It would be an offence under the Ordinance for the regulated mercury-added products which are cosmetics:
(a) having a mercury content exceeding 1 ppm or;
(b) having a mercury content not exceeding 1 ppm, if no supporting documents could be provided to the Authority to confirm that the mercury or mercury compound is not intentionally added during the manufacturing process.
Prohibition on Manufacturing Processes in which Mercury or Mercury Compounds are used
A person must not carry out regulated manufacturing processes as shown in Table 6.
Table 6 – Regulated Manufacturing Processes
| Description of Regulated Manufacturing Process | |
|---|---|
|
1
|
Acetaldehyde production in which mercury or mercury compounds are used as a catalyst. |
|
2
|
Polyurethane production in which catalysts that contain mercury are used. |
|
3
|
Sodium or potassium methylate or ethylate production in which mercury or mercury compounds are used. |
|
4
|
Vinyl chloride monomer production in which mercury or mercury compounds are used. |
|
5
|
Chlor-alkali production in which mercury or mercury compounds are used. |
Resources
Recycling of Domestic Mercury-containing Thermometers and Sphygmomanometers