- Date:2019-07-04
- Department:Evaluation Management Division
In response to mercury controls and reductions across a range of products and processes as prescribed in Minamata Convention on Mercury, Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) preannounced an amendment to current toxic chemical substances management regulations with an objective of enhancing mercury management by regulating the use of mercury products.
EPA expressed that mercury entered human body primarily by inhalation and ingestion. Once this substance enters into human body, people may have symptoms of nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain and, over a long period of time, it will cause damages to our brain, nervous system, liver, kidneys and lungs. Besides, as this toxic chemical substance does not easily to decompose and has bioconcentration characteristics, it was announced as Class 1 toxic chemical substance in 1991. This time, in response to Minamata Convention on Mercury, the permitted and prohibited use of mercury thereof are amended to minimize the exposure risk to people of our country.
EPA pointed out that Minamata Convention on Mercury entered into force on August 16 of 2017 to reduce mercury use in certain daily products, such as button cell batteries, switches, relays, lights, fluorescent tubes, cosmetics, pesticide products as well as non-electronic measuring devices like barometers, hygrometers, pressure meters, thermometers and sphygmomanometers, will not be allowed to produce, import and export after 2020.
Apart from banning the production, import and export of mercury-contained products, the treaty also set exemption criteria for switches, relays and non-electronic measuring devices with no mercury alternatives; and certain mercury concentration limits for calibration devices, references and some of the mercury-contained products. Industry players’ opinions are also taken into consideration and included in this amendment for exclusion.
Concerning the amendment to management rules this time, EPA totally held four interdepartmental meetings of work division and regulation. It was deliberated that our country’s mercury management and work division system will operate in coordination with Minamata Convention on Mercury; and that the management objectives will be reached by adjusting regulations of different departments and establishing a joint-management mechanism. EPA also summoned three meetings of business entities of mercury-contained products; all participated business entities expressed that they would comply with the treaty and gradually use mercury-free alternatives. The enhancement made to the control of mercury contained products not only enables our country to gradually converge with international treaty, but also it has little impact to domestic industry while protecting the health of our people and the environment and safety of our country.
Information related to this preannouncement are available for download at the News section of EPA’s official website (https://enews.moenv.gov.tw/enews/fact_index.asp) or, within three days upon the date of preannouncement, at the Executive Yuan Gazette Online website (https://gazette.nat.gov.tw/egFront/). In case of having any opinion about or amendment suggestion to the drafted proposal, welcome to give us your feedback within 30 days starting from the next day of the proposal announcement date (Email:chiachieh.tsai@epa.gov.tw).
