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Environment
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Chemicals
Mercury
Mercury
Protecting human health and the environment from the harmful effects of mercury
Overview
Mercury is a chemical that is highly toxic to humans and the environment. When released into the environment it enters the food chain where it accumulates, mainly in fish. Exposure to high levels of mercury can cause harm to the brain, lungs, kidneys and immune system.
Over the past twenty years, the EU has developed a comprehensive body of legislation covering all aspects of the mercury lifecycle, from primary mining to waste disposal. This includes measures on trade, products containing mercury and mercury pollution.
The
revised regulation on Mercury
entered into force on 30 July 2024. It further restricts the remaining uses of mercury in the EU.
© Getty Images / videophoto
Page contents
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Objectives
EU law aims to ensure a high level of protection of human health and the environment from mercury, in line with the objectives of the
European Green Deal
, the
EU Chemicals Strategy on Sustainability
and the
Zero Pollution Action Plan.
Law
The
revised regulation on Mercury
covers the full life cycle of mercury. It complements a large body of existing EU environmental law on mercury by:-
Prohibiting the
export of mercury and mercury compounds, as well as the manufacture, export and import of a
large range of mercury-added products (MAPs)
.
Forbidding the use of mercury or mercury compounds as
catalysts and electrodes
in industrial processes.
Phasing out the use and banning the
export of dental amalgam
by 1 January 2025
.  Member States that require more time to adapt their national healthcare system get a limited and temporary derogation for the use, manufacture, and import of dental amalgam (
until 30 June 2026
).
Only allowing dental amalgam use, manufacture and import for specific medical needs and when deemed strictly necessary by a medical practitioner.
Prohibiting new uses of mercury in industry and products, except when significant environmental or health benefits are demonstrated and no mercury-free alternatives delivering such benefits are available.
Ensuring that
mercury waste
is managed without endangering human health or harming the environment.
Banning the manufacture and export of six additional mercury-containing lamps
from 31 December 2025
or
31 December 2026
(depending on the lamp type).
The Commission has adopted the following Implementing Acts:-
Commission Decision on forms to be used in relation to the import of mercury
An
Inventory
of mercury-added products and manufacturing processes using mercury or mercury compounds is available in accordance with Art 8(7) of the Regulation
Implementing Decision establishing questionnaires, as well as the format and frequency of reports to be prepared by the Member States in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/852
In July 2023, the Commission adopted the
Delegated Regulation transposing the Minamata Convention into EU law
, which introduces a prohibition against the
manufacture, import and export of eight additional mercury-containing products, including mercury-containing lamps and non-electrical equipment
.
Previously, the EU adopted a
Mercury Strategy
in 2005, which was
revised in 2010
.
With the revision of Regulation (EU) 2017/852, the Commission has developed
guidance on abatement technologies for emissions of mercury and mercury compounds from crematoria
, to be applied in Member States. The guidance document provides flexibility to, and reference material for, Member States to determine how best to reduce emissions from crematoria.
Other laws
Storage of mercury and mercury compounds
Both the
SEVESO Directive
and the revised
Industrial and Livestock Rearing Emissions Directive (IED 2.0)
lay down requirements aimed at ensuring the environmentally sound storage of metallic mercury and mercury compounds.
Mercury-added products
The mercury content, placing on the market and import into the EU of a wide range of mercury-added products (e.g. batteries, electrical and electronic equipment, and thermometers) are covered in the
Battery
and
RoHS
(switches, relays and lamps) Directives, as well as the
REACH
and
Cosmetic Products
Regulations.
Manufacturing processes
Mercury emissions from major industrial sources are regulated under the revised
Industrial and Livestock Rearing Emissions Directive (IED 2.0)
. This requires installations to operate based on permits and to apply the best available techniques (BAT), including the production of chloralkali, which was the most important manufacturing process using mercury and was banned by
Commission Implementing Decision 2013/732
.
Mercury emissions and releases to air, water & soil
These are regulated by the revised
Industrial and Livestock Rearing Emissions Directive (IED 2.0)
in combination with the
Water Framework Directive
and
Environmental Quality Standards Directive (EQSD)
that establishes maximum concentration levels of mercury in surface water bodies, sediment and biota.
Mercury waste management
Metallic mercury as waste and waste containing or contaminated with mercury qualify in most cases as 'hazardous waste' under the
Waste Framework Directive
. In parallel, the
Landfill Directive
sets specific requirements for the storage of mercury waste.
International action
Given the transboundary nature of mercury pollution, the international community took action under the
Minamata Convention
- a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds. The Convention was signed in 2013 and ratified by the EU in 2017.
The Commission adopted two legislative proposals in 2016 to enable the EU to ratify the Convention
Regulation on Mercury
repealing and replacing Regulation (EC) 1102/2008
Council Decision concerning the conclusion
on behalf of the EU of the Minamata Convention on Mercury
Impact Assessment Report
Impact Assessment – Summary
For more information on the ratification, see our
press release
and
Q&A
.
Committee and expert group
The Commission regularly convenes meetings of the
Mercury Regulation Committee
and of the
Mercury Expert Group
that gather governmental experts to work on the implementation of the Regulation. All documents concerning the meetings of both groups are
publicly available
.
Publications and related links
Main law:
Revised regulation on Mercury
Reports:
Compilation of information on sites potentially contaminated with mercury or mercury compounds
,
Report on the reviews required under Article 19 (1) of Regulation 2017/852 on the use of mercury in dental amalgam and products
,
Report - tackling mercury pollution in the EU and worldwide, which summarises knowledge on mercury
Factsheet:
EU rules on mercury in action
Q&A:
EU mercury policy and the ratification of the Minamata Convention
Related topics
:
Chemicals
Related strategies:
Chemicals Strategy
,
Zero Pollution Action Plan
Related Commission priorities
:
European Green Deal
Contact
For questions about EU environmental policy, please contact
Europe Direct
.
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