Hong Kong has announced phased start dates to regulate eight newly added mercury-added product categories under the Minamata Convention COP5 amendments.
The bans will take effect from March 2026 to December 2027, after which manufacture, import, and export will be prohibited, with sales allowed until January 2029 to clear existing stock.
Mercury Control Ordinance – Overview
Enacted on June 30, 2021, Hong Kong’s Mercury Control Ordinance implements the Minamata Convention by regulating the import, export, possession, and use of mercury and related compounds, and banning certain mercury-added products.
-
Schedule 1: Regulated mercury, mixtures, and compounds
-
Schedule 3: Prohibited mercury-added products
Newly Regulated Products – Start Dates
Eight additional mercury-added product categories will be regulated, with phased commencement dates as announced.
|
Regulated Product Category |
Effective Date |
|
Button zinc silver oxide batteries and button zinc air batteries with a mercury content < 2 wt%. |
March 27, 2026 |
|
• High-accuracy capacitors and loss measurement bridges (mercury content ≤ 20 mg). • High-frequency radio frequency switches and relays in monitoring and control instruments (mercury content ≤ 20 mg). (Excluding those used for research and development purposes).
|
|
|
Cosmetics (e.g., skin lightening soaps and creams), excluding: 1. Those with unintentional trace amounts (< 1 ppm). 2. Eye-area cosmetics with mercury as a preservative, where no safe alternative exists and content is ≤ 70 ppm.
|
|
|
Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) for general lighting purposes > 30 W. |
December 31, 2026 |
|
Non-integrated CFLs for general lighting purposes ≤ 30 W with mercury content ≤ 5 mg per burner. |
|
|
Linear fluorescent lamps (LFLs) for general lighting purposes: • Using halophosphate phosphors, ≤ 40 W with mercury content ≤ 10 mg. • Using halophosphate phosphors, > 40 W.
|
|
|
Non-linear fluorescent lamps (NFLs) (e.g., U-shaped, circular) using halophosphate phosphors. |
|
|
Non-linear fluorescent lamps (NFLs) (e.g., U-shaped, circular) using triband phosphors. |
December 31, 2027 |
|
Linear fluorescent lamps (LFLs) for general lighting purposes using triband phosphors: • < 60 W with mercury content ≤ 5 mg. • ≥ 60 W with mercury content ≤ 5 mg. • ≥ 60 W with mercury content > 5 mg.
|
Enforcement and Penalties
From the commencement dates, manufacturing, importing, or exporting regulated products is an offense, punishable by a fine of up to HK$50,000 and one year of imprisonment.
Supply Grace Period
While new stock is banned after the effective dates, the sale of existing stock is allowed until January 31, 2029, to support market transition.
