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Update: On 27 December 2024, Japan’s METI and MOE published the promulgated order prohibiting the manufacture of the 10 mercury-containing products in Japan’s Kanpo Official Gazette.     Original Text:  On 4 July 2024, Japan’s Mini

The Philippines’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently had a consultation to examine the draft of Circular to prohibit the use, manufacture, importation/exportation, distribution, sale, and storage of medical products that contain mercury

On January 21, 2025, the African Development Bank (AfDB) approved a new initiative, to address the problem of waste and hazardous chemicals in 11 African nations. The project focuses on the management of hazardous substances that are harmful to both

On  7 March 2022, Australia notified the changes to its laws regarding Mercury, in a bid to comply with the Minamata Convention obligations. Due to the amendment, Australia now prohibits the import and export of elemental mercury, also known as m

In a significant move to improve environmental protection and public health, the Canadian government recently updated its regulations on mercury-containing products. These changes, announced on June 19, 2024, mark a critical step in Canada's ongoing

Mercury is one of the most dangerous heavy metals. Because of this, the "Minamata Convention on Mercury" was prepared under the leadership of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in order to prevent environmental pollution caused by mercur

On 14 July 2023, the European Commission adopted a proposal to revise the Mercury Regulation and thereby ban all remaining intentional uses of the metal.  The Commission proposal was adopted in parallel to a delegated act (Prohibition against the ma

Argentina has introduced fresh technical guidelines for the storage of mercury in line with the Minamata Convention. The issued Resolution delineates the particulars concerning storage and management, encompassing explicit stipulations for labeling.

The non-governmental organization (NGO) Zero Mercury Working Group (ZMWG) has conducted a market monitoring of skin lightening products sold online and found that toxic mercury cosmetics are still being marketed as a ‘solution’ for dark skin. The

At the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention (COP-5), significant progress was made by adopting 21 decisions to further protect human health and the environment from the harmful effects of mercury. COP-5 was held i

Malaysia launched the newly redesigned MyEHS Environmentally Hazardous Substance (EHS) registration system was introduced on September 5, 2023. The website has been redesigned, and organisations can now register, log in, and complete the required ste

On December 21, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the much-anticipated 2023 Mercury Inventory Report, an important document that sheds light on the supply, use, and trade of mercury in the United States. This is the second

The National Environment Agency (NEA) of Singapore launched a public consultation on 18 January 2024. The consultation seeks public input on the proposed regulation of medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs), long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (

Moving towards environmental preservation, Brazil has recently issued a draft rule for public comment outlining the requirements and procedures aimed at controlling the import, export, recycling, recovery, trade, use, and transportation of metallic

Effective 1 June 2024, Malaysia has implemented a ban on the import of two medical devices containing mercury: thermometers and sphygmomanometers which are commonly used to measure blood pressure. This prohibition is part of the 'Customs (Prohibition

On 4 July 2024, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Ministry of the Environment (MOE) jointly notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) of a revision of the Enforcement Order of the Act on Preventing Mercury Pollution of th

Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) has launched a public consultation on the proposed control of six mercury-added products as hazardous substances. This consultation is part of efforts to comply with its international obligations under

On October 14, 2024, the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), in collaboration with 16 other government departments, announced new regulations to control eight types of mercury-added products. These measures, which target eight types of

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has launched a public consultation on proposed amendments to the Export of Substances on the Export Control List Regulations. The consultation will runs from December 16, 2024, to March 1, 2025, and seeks

The Australian government has updated its Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management Standard (IChEMS), listing new high-risk industrial chemicals for review. The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) has priorit