UK government tightens mercury rules from 23 Dec 2025
From 23 December 2025, new UK rules will restrict more mercury‑added products in Great Britain. This update, made under the Control of Mercury (Amendment) Regulations 2025, applies in England, Wales and Scotland and begins the week before Christmas so retailers, schools and local authorities should plan now.
What actually changes? The instrument updates Annex 2 of the UK Mercury Regulation (based on Regulation (EU) 2017/852) to mirror decisions agreed internationally. In plain terms, more types of compact fluorescent lamps are added to the list of products that can no longer be manufactured, imported or exported, and certain specialist measuring devices used in plastics processing-melt pressure transducers, transmitters and sensors-are also added, with narrow technical exemptions. The instrument was signed by Environment Minister Emma Hardy, made on 1 December 2025, laid on 2 December, and comes into force on 23 December.
Why all this focus on mercury? Mercury can damage the brain and nervous system, with particular risks during pregnancy and early childhood. People are most often exposed through eating fish that contain methylmercury, and through vapour from broken devices. The World Health Organization lists mercury among the top chemicals of public‑health concern and notes that ethylmercury used as a preservative in some vaccines behaves differently from methylmercury and is not a health risk at the amounts used.
The UK changes are part of a global story. The Minamata Convention-agreed in 2013 and named after the Japanese city where mercury poisoning was first recognised-sets worldwide rules to cut mercury use and releases. At COP‑4 in 2022, countries agreed to add products such as certain fluorescent lamps for displays, melt‑pressure devices, mercury vacuum pumps, tyre weights and photographic film to the global phase‑out list from 2025.
At COP‑5 in late 2023, governments went further, agreeing dates to retire remaining fluorescent lighting: higher‑wattage compact fluorescents and some non‑integrated CFLs by 2026, halophosphate linear tubes by 2026 and most remaining triband linear tubes by 2027. COP‑5 also set 2025 phase‑outs for specified button batteries, certain high‑accuracy measuring bridges and mercury in most cosmetics. The UK’s new instrument aligns Great Britain’s list with these international decisions for the lamp and device categories it names.
So what will you notice? Shops will keep moving to LED lighting, which is already the norm. Schools and colleges should expect fewer fluorescent spares on the market and should plan to replace failing tubes and compact fluorescents with LEDs when they reach end‑of‑life. For industry readers, the new listing for melt‑pressure equipment affects procurement in plastics extrusion and moulding; check your lines for model numbers and confirm mercury‑free alternatives before ordering replacements.
If you still have fluorescent lamps, you can use them until they fail, but don’t bin them with household waste. Handle old tubes carefully to avoid breakage and take them to your local recycling facility; most councils have clear guidance. If a lamp breaks indoors, ventilate the room and clear up with care rather than vacuuming immediately. These steps reduce the small but avoidable risks from vapour. (Always follow your local authority’s advice.)
A quick geography note helps: the Great Britain rules here do not extend to Northern Ireland, where separate enforcement applies under the Windsor Framework. A companion instrument updates enforcement in Northern Ireland, including measures on dental amalgam, to reflect EU changes that took effect there in 2024. That’s why guidance may look slightly different across the UK.
For classroom use, turn this into a timeline you can build with students: the treaty is adopted in 2013; COP‑4 adds more products for 2025; COP‑5 sets lighting deadlines for 2026–2027; and the UK brings its list up to date from 23 December 2025. Then ask: what’s the difference between a “phase‑out” (no manufacture, import or export after a set date) and a “phase‑down” (use reduced over time, as with dental amalgam)?
Looking ahead, countries have continued to tighten rules. At COP‑6, parties agreed a global phase‑out of dental amalgam by 2034, signalling more changes may flow into national lists in the years ahead. If your course or business touches health or dentistry, keep an eye on how the UK responds to that decision.
The takeaway for readers is straightforward. These rules are part of an international effort to reduce everyday mercury exposure. As consumers and educators, shifting to LED lighting, disposing of old fluorescents properly and teaching the science of mercury’s risks are simple ways to support the change. If you run facilities, update procurement plans now so you’re not caught out by the pre‑holiday start date.