Japan Announces Ban on Production of Ten Products Containing Mercury

Recently, Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (Meti), in conjunction with the Ministry of the Environment (MoE), announced a significant policy under the Act on Preventing Mercury Pollution of the Environment. The policy will phase out the production of ten specified products containing mercury, with set dates for the implementation of the bans. This measure will be gradually implemented starting in 2026, and it involves various types of batteries and lighting equipment, as well as certain industrial sensors.

The specified products and the implementation dates of the bans are as follows:

Specified products	Implementation Date
Button zinc silver oxide batteries with a mercury content <1% and button zinc air batteries with a mercury content <2%	January 1, 2026
Compact fluorescent lamps with integrated ballast (CFL.i) for general lighting purposes that are ≤ 30 watts with a mercury content not exceeding 5 mg per lamp burner	January 1, 2026
Cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFL) and external electrode fluorescent lamps (EEFL) of all lengths for electronic displays, not included in the listing directly below. short length (≤ 500 mm) with mercury content exceeding 3.5 mg per lamp medium length (> 500 mm and ≤ 1 500 mm) with mercury content exceeding 5 mg per lamp long length (> 1500 mm) with mercury content exceeding 13 mg per	January 1, 2026
Melt pressure transducers, melt pressure transmitters, and melt pressure sensors, except those installed in large-scale equipment or those used for high precision measurement, where no suitable mercury- free alternative is available	January 1, 2026
Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) for general lighting purposes that are > 30 watts	January 1, 2027
Compact fluorescent lamps with a non-integrated ballast (CFL.ni) for general lighting purposes that are ≤ 30 watts with a mercury content not exceeding 5 mg per lamp burner	January 1, 2027
Linear fluorescent lamps (LFLs) for general lighting purposes: Halophosphate phosphor ≤ 40 watts with a mercury content not exceeding 10 mg per lamp Halophosphate phosphor > 40 watts	January 1, 2027
Non-linear fluorescent lamps (NFLs) (e.g., U-bend and circular) for general lighting purposes: b. Halophosphate phosphor, all wattages	January 1, 2027
Linear fluorescent lamps (LFLs) for general lighting purposes: Triband phosphor < 60 watts with a mercury content not exceeding 5 mg per lamp Triband phosphor ≥ 60 watts with a mercury content not exceeding 5mg per lamp Triband phosphor ≥ 60 watts with a mercury content exceeding 5mg per lamp	January 1, 2028
Non-linear fluorescent lamps (NFLs) (e.g., U-bend and circular) for general lighting purposes: a. Triband phosphor, all wattages	January 1, 2028

This policy aims to protect human health and the environment from the hazards of mercury and to ensure the implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury. The government will continue to monitor the implementation of the above policy and assess the long-term impact of these products on the environment and health. Moreover, the phased ban on the production of ten products also promotes the research and application of mercury-free or low-mercury technologies, contributing to the green transformation of the industry.

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