Minamata Convention on Mercury COP4 resolves to phase out eight mercury-added products by 2025 
The second segment of the fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (hereinafter referred to as “COP4”), held in Bali, Indonesia, from March 21 to March 25, 2022, reviewed the proposals presented by Canada/Switzerland, the African Group, and the European Union to amend Annex A (Mercury-added products) and Annex B (Manufacturing processes in which mercury or mercury compounds are used) and resolved (UNEP/MC/COP.4/CRP.16) to amend Part I (Products subject to Article 4, Paragraph 1) of Annex A to phase out eight mercury-added products by 2025. COP4 also decided to consider amending Part I of Annex A to set a “date after which the manufacture, import, or export of the product shall not be allowed (phase-out date)” for three mercury-added products.
Additionally, COP4 decided to consider at COP5 the addition of the “production of polyurethane using mercury-containing catalysts” to Part I (Processes subject to Article 5, Paragraph 2) of Annex B. COP4 requested the Secretariat to compile information on the “availability” and “technical and economic feasibility” of mercury-free alternatives to the “production of polyurethane using mercury-containing catalysts,” for submission to COP5.
Furthermore, COP4 requested the Secretariat to prepare, for consideration by COP5, a short report on the technical and economic feasibility of mercury-free alternatives for the two processes listed in Part II (Processes subject to Article 5, Paragraph 3) of Annex B: vinyl chloride monomer and sodium methylate.
The resolutions regarding Part I of Annex A are summarized below.
Mercury-added products to be phased out by 2025
| Mercury-added products | Nation/area presented the proposal |
| Compact fluorescent lamps with an integrated ballast for general lighting purposes that are ≤ 30 watts with a mercury content not exceeding 5 mg per lamp burner | The African Group |
| Cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFL) and external electrode fluorescent lamps (EEFL) of all lengths for electronic displays not already phased out | The African Group |
| Strain gauges used in plethysmographs | The European Union |
| 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) | The European Union |
| Mercury vacuum pumps | The European Union |
| Tire balancers and wheel weights | Canada/Switzerland |
| Photographic film and paper | Canada/Switzerland |
| Propellant for satellites and spacecraft | Canada/Switzerland |
Mercury-added products for which a phase-out date is to be set
| Mercury-added products | Nation/area presented the proposal |
| Button zinc silver oxide batteries with a mercury content < 2% and button zinc air batteries with a mercury content < 2% | The European Union |
| “Very high accuracy capacitance and loss measurement bridges” and “high frequency radio frequency switches and relays” in monitoring and control instruments with a maximum mercury content of 20 mg per bridge switch or relay | Canada/Switzerland |
| Linear fluorescent lamps for general lighting purposes: “(a) halophosphate phosphor ≤ 40 watts with a mercury content not exceeding 10 mg per lamp,” “(b) halophosphate phosphor > 40 watts,” and “(c) triband phosphor < 60 watts with a mercury content not exceeding 5 mg/lamp.” | The European Union and the African Group |
Related URLs
Summary of the Second Segment of the Fourth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury: 21-25 March 2022 (Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB)/Vol. 28 No.65 by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), March 28, 2022)
https://enb.iisd.org/sites/default/files/2022-03/enb2865e.pdf
Minamata COP-4 closes with global commitment to evaluate, expand and strengthen the efforts against toxic mercury
https://www.mercuryconvention.org/en/news/minamata-cop-4-closes-global-commitment-evaluate-expand-and-strengthen-efforts-against-toxic
