All mercury-added products listed in Part I of Annex A of the Minamata Convention on Mercury for new use substances.

Products in scope are:

·         Batteries, except:
- Button zinc silver oxide batteries with a mercury content <2%
- Button zinc air batteries with a mercury content <2%

·         Switches and relays, except:
- Very high accuracy capacitance and loss measurement bridges
- High frequency radio frequency switches and relays in monitoring and control instruments with a maximum mercury content of 20mg per bridge, switch or relay 

·        Lamps containing specified quantities of mercury
- Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) for general lighting purposes that are <= 30 watts with a mercury content exceeding 2.5 mg per lamp and > 30 watts with a mercury content exceeding 5 mg per lamp
- Linear fluorescent lamps (LFLs) for general lighting purposes:
- Triband phosphor < 60 watts with a mercury content exceeding 5 mg per lamp
- Halophosphate phosphor <= 40 watts with a mercury content exceeding 10 mg per lamp
- High pressure mercury vapour lamps for general lighting purposes
- Cold cathode fluorescent lamps and external electrode fluorescent lamps

·         Cosmetics

·         Pesticides, biocides, topical antiseptics

·        Non-electronic measuring devices (barometers, hygrometers, manometers, thermometers, sphygmomanometers)

Managing the trade in mercury and mercury products: New Zealand's approach to ratifying the Minamata Convention on Mercury (31 page(s), in English)

We propose to:

·         Amend regulations under the Import and Export (Restrictions) Act 1988 to ban the import and export of specific mercury-containing products.

·         Create new regulations under the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 to ban the manufacture and sale of certain mercury-containing products in New Zealand.

These changes, along with other domestic law changes, are expected to bring New Zealand's regulations into line with the Minamata Convention on Mercury.