Regulation (EU) 2017/852 on Mercury

Overview:

Regulation (EU) 2017/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishes measures and conditions concerning the use, storage, and trade of Mercury, Mercury compounds, and Mercury-added products. The regulation aims to protect human health and the environment from the harmful effects of Mercury, including the management of Mercury waste.

Key Definitions:

• Mercury
• Mercury Compounds
• Mixtures
• Mercury-added Products

Prohibitions and Restrictions:

• The regulation prohibits the manufacture and placement on the market of new Mercury-added products unless authorized or allowed under specific circumstances.
• It restricts the use of new manufacturing processes involving Mercury or Mercury compounds unless authorized.

Storage and Disposal Requirements:

• The regulation sets requirements for the storage and disposal of Mercury waste, including:
  • The use of temporary storage facilities.
  • Issuance of certificates for waste management.
  • Reporting obligations for economic operators in certain industry sectors regarding the storage and movement of Mercury waste.

Dental Amalgam Waste Management:

• The regulation addresses the handling and collection of dental amalgam waste, including:
  • The use of amalgam separators.
  • Provisions for the identification and assessment of sites contaminated by Mercury.
  • Development of strategies to address the risks associated with Mercury contamination.

Updates as of 30-Jul-2024:

• Article 10 (Dental Amalgam):
  • Updated with paragraphs 2a and 7, introducing new provisions regarding the use and prohibition of dental amalgam from 01-Jan-2025, with certain exceptions and a phase-out date of 30-Jun-2026 for specific cases.
• Article 19:
  • Updated with paragraph 2, requiring the Commission to report by 31-Dec-2029.
  • Added paragraph 2a, requiring the Commission to report on specific points, including the impact of guidance on emissions from crematoria and the need to maintain exemptions related to dental amalgam.
• Annex II (Mercury-added Products referred to in Article 5):
  • Updated to reflect the latest changes.

Additional Provisions:

Member States are allowed to apply stricter requirements than those outlined in the regulation if deemed necessary.

The regulation includes provisions for the identification and assessment of Mercury-contaminated sites and the development of strategies to mitigate associated risks.

Source: “https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02017R0852-20240730 “

Region: European Union