Final Amendments to the Products Containing Mercury Regulations – Effective June 2025

Dear Product Care Members,

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has published final amendments to the Products Containing Mercury Regulations. These will come into force on June 19, 2025.

Objectives:

• Reduce the risk of mercury releases
• Enable Canada to meet international commitments
• Support the gradual phase-out of common mercury-containing lamps under Canada’s National Strategy for Lamps Containing Mercury.

Affected Parties:

• Manufacturers and importers of products containing mercury
• Sellers and distributors of replacement lamps containing mercury

Key Changes:

Phasing Out Mercury-Containing Lamps:

• Effective December 31, 2025, the following lamps will be phased out:
  • Screw-base compact fluorescent lamps
  • Pin-base compact fluorescent lamps
  • Straight fluorescent lamps
  • Non-linear fluorescent lamps
  • High-pressure sodium vapor lamps
  • Metal halide lamps

Exemption Removal:

• Exemptions for obsolete products and those with mercury-free alternatives will be removed.
• Exemptions for special-purpose lamps (e.g., plant growth, air or surface disinfection, water treatment, projectors) will continue.

Lowered Mercury Content Limits:

• Mercury content limits for products will be lowered.

Other Amendments:

Expanded Definitions:

• Replacement part: A part that:
  • Replaces a component in a product before November 8, 2015
  • Cannot be replaced by a mercury-free alternative
  • Is not listed in Schedule 1 or 2
  • For cold cathode or external electrode fluorescent lamps, is used in an electronic display panel
• Replacement lamp: A lamp that:
  • Contains mercury within the limit set in Schedule 2
  • Is manufactured or imported within specified dates
  • Will be used in fixtures installed before the start date or in pre-existing on-road vehicles

Disposal Obligations:

• Manufacturers and importers must ensure the product is sent to an authorized disposal or recycling facility. Importers may return products to the original supplier.

Administrative Adjustments:

• Reporting timelines aligned with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Schedule of Lamp Prohibitions:

We encourage you to review the Amendments, which can be accessed online at the following link:
Regulations Amending the Products Containing Mercury Regulations

If you have any questions, please contact the regional ECCC offices via email:

Sincerely,

The Product Care team