The Minamata Convention on Mercury, a global convention led by the United Nations Environment Programme that aims to control and reduce mercury emissions, came into effect in August 2017 and has made clear phase-out regulations on the production, manufacturing and use of many products, including mercury-containing lighting products.
However, there are uncertainties in the interpretation of the Minamata Convention. Recently, the European Lighting Association made a relevant statement. In response to the misunderstanding in the EU market about whether mercury-containing projection and stage lights will be eliminated in the near future, it clarified the views and position on the convention’s implementation of restrictions on the production and use of such products.
In the recent review and latest revision of the Minamata Convention and the EU Mercury Regulation (EU 2017/857), HID light sources for special purposes (such as projector lamps, stage lamps) are not restricted.