Mercury and its Compounds

Minnesota SF 1690 Second Engrossment on Battery and Electronics Stewardship Set for Senate Environment Committee Hearing

In April 2026, Minnesota’s SF 1690 reached second engrossment and is set for a Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy Committee hearing, outlining a statewide producer‑funded stewardship programme for batteries, circuit boards and electrical products, alongside a 2029 ban on most mercury‑containing batteries.[^1^](https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/94/2025/0/SF/1690/versions/latest/#:~:text=relating%20to%20environment%3B%20establishing%20stewardship%20program%20for%20circuit%20boards%2C) If enacted, battery and electronics manufacturers and importers serving Minnesota would need to join a stewardship organisation, fund a compliant collection network, redesign labelling and sales practices, and prepare for stricter waste‑management and mercury‑control obligations from 2027–2029 onward.[^3^](https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/94/2025/0/SF/1690/versions/latest/#:~:text=Subd.%201.%20Due%20dates.)

10 Apr 2026, 13:15revisor.mn.govUnited States

Minnesota Senate Committee to Hear SF 1690 on Electronics and Battery Stewardship and Mercury Battery Ban

Minnesota is advancing SF 1690, establishing a producer-funded stewardship program for electronics and batteries and banning mercury in most primary batteries by 2028. Impacted businesses must prepare for mandatory collective stewardship participation, full cost absorption for end-of-life management, and new product labeling and composition standards.

9 Apr 2026, 14:21revisor.mn.govUnited States

Chinese Taipei Drafts Amendment to Dry Cell Battery Restrictions to Tighten Mercury Limits

Taiwan is proposing to tighten mercury limits for button cell batteries to ≤ 1 ppm and expand the scope of regulated dry cell batteries to include zinc-air button cells by July 2026. Manufacturers and importers must prepare for the invalidation of existing mercury confirmation documents and ensure new product certifications meet the stricter thresholds to maintain market access.

9 Apr 2026, 09:51members.wto.orgTaiwan

England Updates Charges For International Waste Shipment Notifications

England's Environment Agency has updated international waste shipment notification charges, effective April 1, 2026, introducing annual CPI-linked adjustments. Businesses must account for rising operational costs for hazardous and complex waste exports, particularly those containing restricted substances like mercury or F-gases.

4 Apr 2026, 11:02gov.ukUnited Kingdom

Oregon Governor Signs HB 4060 On Fluorescent Lamp Ban Exemptions

Oregon has enacted HB 4060, granting temporary sales ban exemptions for fluorescent lamps to large-scale facilities and care homes until 2030. This provides a critical compliance buffer for manufacturers and distributors serving large commercial accounts while signaling a firm final deadline for the transition to LED alternatives.

4 Apr 2026, 10:28olis.oregonlegislature.govUnited States

Connecticut Senate Journal Records Favourable Report For S.B. 118 On Toxic Heavy Metals In Baby Food

Connecticut’s S.B. 118 has advanced to the Senate calendar, proposing strict heavy metal limits and mandatory testing for baby food starting January 2027. If enacted, businesses must implement monthly batch testing and digital transparency measures, including QR-code labeling, to maintain market access.

2 Apr 2026, 08:37cga.ct.govUnited States

Minnesota MPCA Seeks Comment on Expanded NPDES/SDS Permit for Annandale/Maple Lake/Howard Lake Wastewater Facility (MN0066966)

The Minnesota MPCA is proposing to reissue and significantly expand a regional wastewater permit with stricter discharge limits for nutrients and metals, with comments due by June 1, 2026. This move highlights a trend toward regionalized wastewater infrastructure and tighter environmental standards that may impact operational costs and capacity for local industrial and municipal stakeholders.

2 Apr 2026, 08:34scs-public.s3-us-gov-west-1.amazonaws.comUnited States

US EPA Direct Final Authorization of Florida Hazardous Waste Program Revisions

The US EPA has granted final authorization for Florida’s hazardous waste program revisions, integrating state rules on universal waste lamps and transboundary shipments into the federally enforceable RCRA framework effective May 2026. This action streamlines federal oversight and enforcement, ensuring regulatory consistency for businesses managing hazardous waste streams and international waste movements within the state.

27 Mar 2026, 18:17federalregister.govUnited States

Minnesota Bill SF 1690 Would Establish Stewardship Programme for Circuit Boards, Batteries and Electrical Products and Ban Mercury in Batteries

Minnesota's proposed SF 1690 would establish a comprehensive producer-funded stewardship program for electronics and batteries and ban mercury-containing batteries starting January 2028. Impacted businesses must prepare for mandatory participation in a single stewardship organization, full financial responsibility for end-of-life management, and new battery labeling requirements.

27 Mar 2026, 17:12revisor.mn.govUnited States

Japan Amends Technical Guidelines For Managing Mercury-Containing Recycled Resources

Japan has finalized stricter technical guidelines for the storage and labeling of mercury-containing recycled resources, effective April 1, 2026. Impacted operators must upgrade facility infrastructure and labeling protocols, particularly for materials exceeding 0.1% mercury, to ensure compliance with new containment and security standards.

27 Mar 2026, 16:22kanpo.go.jpJapan

Japan Revises Mercury Act Article 2(2) Requirements Ordinance

Japan updated the Mercury Pollution Prevention Act's implementing ordinance on March 24, 2026, refining definitions for mercury-added products and hazardous wastes. Companies must re-assess their product portfolios and waste streams against these clarified criteria to maintain compliance with manufacturing, handling, and export restrictions.

27 Mar 2026, 16:20kanpo.go.jpJapan

Minnesota Department of Health Updates Fish Consumption Guidelines for Mercury and PFAS

The Minnesota Department of Health has updated fish consumption guidelines to include more stringent, region-specific advice for mercury and new PFAS-based restrictions for the Vermillion River. These updates signal increasing regulatory scrutiny of bioaccumulative substances in local food chains and highlight the state's expanded analytical capacity to monitor emerging contaminants.

27 Mar 2026, 07:47health.state.mn.usUnited States

New Jersey Assembly Bill A4868 Proposes Eliminating Mercury-Containing Vaccines Over Three Years

New Jersey has introduced a bill to phase out mercury-containing vaccines over a three-year period starting in the 2026-2027 session. Manufacturers should prepare for potential reformulation requirements and supply chain shifts as the state moves toward a total ban on mercury in pharmaceutical products.

26 Mar 2026, 19:13njleg.state.nj.usUnited States

Minnesota House Environment Committee Sets 26 March Hearing on HF1426 Battery Stewardship and HF3793 Groundwater Permits

Minnesota is advancing legislation to establish a comprehensive producer-funded stewardship program for batteries and electronics, including a ban on mercury-containing batteries starting January 2027. Producers must prepare for mandatory stewardship organization membership, new battery labeling requirements, and the phase-out of specific chemistries to maintain market access.

26 Mar 2026, 19:08revisor.mn.govUnited States

Minnesota Legislature Proposes Battery Stewardship Program and Mercury-in-Batteries Ban (HF 4565)

Minnesota’s proposed HF 4565 would establish a mandatory producer-funded battery stewardship program and ban mercury-containing batteries by 2030. Companies must prepare for stewardship membership by 2027 and align product labeling and chemical composition with new market access requirements.

26 Mar 2026, 12:28revisor.mn.govUnited States

JAMA Highlights Risks of US EPA Rollback of MATS Heavy Metal Air Pollution Standards

The US EPA's February 2026 repeal of the 2024 MATS amendments rolls back stringent heavy metal emission limits and monitoring requirements for power plants. This shift signals a broader deregulatory trend in US air quality policy, increasing long-term legal and reputational risks for industrial emitters while potentially delaying PFAS and GHG enforcement.

25 Mar 2026, 21:36jamanetwork.comUnited States

Minnesota Senate Bill SF 4679 Proposes Battery Stewardship Program and Mercury Restrictions in Batteries

Minnesota has proposed a comprehensive producer-funded battery stewardship program and a ban on mercury-containing batteries starting in 2030. Manufacturers face significant new obligations for end-of-life funding, product design for battery removability, and mandatory labeling for consumer electronics.

25 Mar 2026, 21:36revisor.mn.govUnited States

Chinese Taipei Proposes Amendment to Import Restrictions on Mercury-Added Products

Taiwan is proposing expanded import bans on mercury-added products, including lighting and electronic sensors, starting January 2027 to align with the Minamata Convention. Impacted industries must accelerate substitution plans for mercury-containing components to ensure continued market access ahead of the 2027 and 2028 enforcement dates.

25 Mar 2026, 21:35members.wto.orgTaiwan

South Dakota DOH Updates Mercury Fish Consumption Advisory for Lake Louise Largemouth Bass

South Dakota has added Lake Louise Largemouth Bass to its fish consumption advisory list following mercury levels exceeding the 1 ppm threshold. This update underscores the ongoing regulatory focus on heavy metal bioaccumulation in food chains, requiring food producers and retailers to monitor local environmental health advisories for potential supply chain risks.

22 Mar 2026, 16:58doh.sd.govUnited States

EU Adopts Delegated Regulation 2026/55 Updating Mercury-Added Product Bans Under Regulation (EU) 2017/852

The EU has prohibited the manufacture, import, and export of specific mercury-containing monitoring and control instruments, effective from 31 December 2025. Impacted businesses must ensure high-precision measurement bridges and RF switches are mercury-free to maintain market access and align with international Minamata Convention requirements.

18 Mar 2026, 18:53eur-lex.europa.euEuropean Union