Commencement notice for Mercury Control Ordinance gazetted
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The Government published in the Gazette today (August 13) the Mercury Control Ordinance (Commencement) Notice (the Commencement Notice).
The Legislative Council passed the Mercury Control Bill on June 23 to fully implement the Minamata Convention on Mercury (the Convention). The Mercury Control Ordinance (the Ordinance) regulates matters including the import, export, keeping and use of mercury, mercury mixtures and mercury compounds, as well as the import, export, manufacture and supply of mercury-added products.
The Commencement Notice seeks to appoint December 1, 2021, as the day on which the Ordinance comes into operation.
A spokesman for the Environment Bureau said, “The Ordinance ensures the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s full compliance with the international obligations of the Convention, and protects public health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds. If the Legislative Council passes the Commencement Notice, the new regulatory system under the Ordinance will take effect on December 1, 2021. Upon the commencement of the Ordinance, the current interim control of elemental mercury trading under the Import and Export (General) Regulations (Cap. 60 sub. leg. A) will be repealed.”
The Commencement Notice will be tabled at the Legislative Council for negative vetting on August 18.