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National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998)

Regulations

Regulations for the Management of Mercury in South Africa, 2024

Annexures

Annexure A: Mercury-added products (MAPs)

 

ANNEXURE A

 

Mercury-added products (MAPs)

 

1. The following products are not subject to the provisions of Regulation 7:
(a) Products essential for civil protection and military uses;
(b) Products for research, calibration of instrumentation, for use as reference standard;
(c) Vaccines containing thiomersal as preservatives.

 

2. Part I: Mercury-added products subject to a phase-out:

 

Mercury-added products (MAPs)

Date after which the manufacture, import or export of the product shall not be allowed (phase-out date)

Batteries, except for button zinc silver oxide batteries with a mercury content < 2% and button zinc air batteries with a mercury content < 2%

1 April 2025

Switches and relays, except 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

1 April 2025

Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) for general lighting purposes that are s 30 watts with a mercury content exceeding 5 mg per lamp burner

1 April 2026

Compact fluorescent lamps with an integrated ballast (CFL.i) for general lighting purposes that are ≤ 30 watts with a mercury content not exceeding 5 mg per lamp burner

1 April 2026

Linear fluorescent lamps (LFLs) for general lighting purposes:

 
(a) Triband phosphor < 60 watts with a mercury content exceeding 5 mg per lamp;

1 April 2027
(b) Halophosphate phosphor ≤ 40 watts with a mercury  content exceeding 10 mg per lamp

1 April 2026

High pressure mercury vapour lamps (HPMV) for general lighting purposes

1 April 2025

Mercury in cold cathode fluorescent lamps and external electrode fluorescent lamps (CCFL and EEFL) for electronic displays:

(a) short length (≤ 500 mm) with mercury content exceeding 3.5 mg per lamp.
(b) medium length (> 500 mm and ≤ 1 500 mm) with mercury content exceeding 5 mg per lamp
(c) long length (> 1 500 mm) with mercury content exceeding 13 mg per lamp.

1 April 2025

Cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFL) and external electrode fluorescent lamps (EEFL) of all lengths for electronic displays, not included in the listing directly above.

1 April 2025

Cosmetics (with mercury content above 1ppm), including skin lightening soaps and creams, and not including eye area cosmetics where mercury is used as a preservative and no effective and safe substitute preservatives are available.

1 April 2025

Pesticides, biocides and topical antiseptics

1 April 2025

The following non-electronic measuring devices except non-electronic measuring devices installed in large-scale equipment or those used for high precision measurement, where no suitable mercury-free alternative is available:

(a) barometers;
(b) hygrometers;
(c) manometers;
(d) thermometers;
(e) sphygmomanometers

1 April 2025

Strain gauges to be used in plethysmographs

1 April 2025

The following electrical and electronic measuring devices, except those installed in large-scale equipment or those used for high precision measurement, where no suitable mercury-free alternative is available:

 
(a) Melt pressure transducers, melt pressure transmitters and melt pressure sensors

1 April 2025

Mercury vacuum pumps

1 April 2025

Tyre balancers and wheel weight

1 April 2025

Photographic film and paper

1 April 2025

Propellant for satellites and spacecrafts

1 April 2025

 

3. Part II: Mercury-added products subject to a phase-down and the measures:

 

Mercury-added products

Measures

Dental amalgam

Measures to be taken to phase down the use of dental amalgam shall take into account the domestic circumstances and relevant international guidance and shall include more than the two required measures from the following list:

i. Setting national objectives aiming at dental caries prevention and health promotion, thereby minimizing the need for dental restoration;
ii. Setting national objectives aiming at minimizing its use;
iii. Promoting the use of cost-effective and clinically effective mercury-free alternatives for dental restoration;
iv. Promoting research and development of quality mercury-free materials for dental restoration;
v. Encouraging representative professional organizations and dental schools to educate and train dental professionals and students on the use of mercury-free dental restoration alternatives and on promoting best management practices;
vi. Discouraging insurance policies and programmes that favour dental amalgam use over mercury-free dental restoration;
vii. Encouraging insurance policies and programmes that favour the use of quality alternatives to dental amalgam for dental restoration;
viii. Restricting the use of dental amalgam to its encapsulated form; and
ix. Promoting the use of best environmental practices in dental facilities to reduce releases of mercury and mercury compounds to water and land.

In addition:

i. The use of mercury in bulk form by dental practitioners is not allowed; and
ii. The use of dental amalgam for the dental treatment of deciduous teeth, of patients under 15 years and of pregnant and breastfeeding women is not allowed, except when considered necessary by the dental practitioner based on the needs of the patient.