June 2015  
 
“Specified mercury -added products ” under  the Enforcement Order of “Act on Preventing 
Environmental Pollution of Mercury ”  
 
 
Chemical Management Policy Division, Manufacturing Industries Bureau,  
Ministry of Economy , Trade and Industr y, Japan  
 
Environment al Health and  Safety Division, Environmental Health Department,  
Environmental Policy Bureau, Ministry of the Environment , Japan   
 
1. Background of enactment  of the enforcement order  
To ensure the implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury (hereinafter referred to 
as “the Convention”) as well as to further promote the prevention of environmental pollution 
caused by mercury, t he Act on Preventing Environmental Pollution of Mercury  (Act No. 42 of 
2015) bans the manufacture of “specified mer cury-added  products ” designated  in the 
Enforcement Order of the Act and also requires the government to take  measures such as 
permitting the manufacture of “specified mercury -added products ” for the uses allowed under  
the Convention as well as restricting the us e of “specified mercury -added  products ” as 
components of other products .  
And the Enforcement Order of the Act designates  product items of the mercury -added products 
listed in Part 1 of Annex A of the Convention as “specified mercury -added  products ” the 
manufacture of which should be especially regulated , and for some of them s ets their mercury 
content  limits lower than those in the C onvention as well as phase -out date s earlier than those  in 
the C onvention.   
 
  
2. Outline  
 Products designated  as “specified mercury -added products ” with corresponding  mercury content 
limits  and phase -out date s are listed below.  
 
specified mercury -added  products   Phase- out date  
Batteries (excluding the following)  
 Button zinc silve r oxide batteries (Button cells with a mercury content less than 
1% by weight)  
 Button z inc air batteries (Button cells with a m ercury content less than 2% by 
weight)  End of 2017 (End of 
2020 for button alkali 
batteries)  
Switches and relays  End of 2020  
Signal-ended compact fluorescent lamps and self -ballasted fluorescent lamps  for 
general lighting purposes that are less than or equal to 30 watts of rated power 
consumption with a mercury content exceeding  5 mg per lamp burner  End of 2017  The followings , among l inear f luorescent l amps (LFLs) for general lighting purposes : 
 Product s that are less than 60 watts of rated power consumption with a m ercury 
content exceeding  5 mg  per lamp , using triband phosphor  
 Product s that are equal to or less than 40 watts of ra ted power consumption with 
a mercury content exceeding 10 mg per lamp , using halophosphate phosphor  End of 2017  
High pressure m ercury vapour lamps (HPMV) for general lighting purposes  End of 2020  
The following c old cathode f luorescent l amps and e xternal e lectrode f luorescent 
lamps (CCFL and EEFL) for electronic displays : 
 Products whose length is equal to or shorter than 500 mm with a mercury content 
exceeding 3.5 mg per lamp 
 Products whose length is longer than 500 mm and equal to or shorter than 1500 mm with a mercury content exceeding 5 mg per lamp 
 Products whose length is longer than 1500 mm with a mercury content exceeding 13 mg per lamp  End of 2017  
Cosmetics  End of 2017  
Pesticides, biocides and topical antiseptics  End of 2017(End of 
2020 for  topical 
antiseptics )  
The following non- electronic measuring devices except non -electronic measuring 
devices used for high precision measurement, where no suitable mercury -free 
alternative is available:   
(a) barometers  
(b) hygrometers  
(c) m anometers  
(d) thermome ters 
(e) sphygmomanometers  End of 2020  
 
 
3. Planned date of enforcement  
  January 2018 or December 2020, depending on products