Mercury Product Prohibitions and Reporting – Key Deadlines for Distributors & Manufacturers

August 18, 2025

Amendments to the Products Containing Mercury Regulations (PCMR) came into force June 19, 2025. This is a federal regulation that now prohibits importing or manufacturing of products containing mercury if mercury-free alternatives exist. Additionally, anyone who manufactured or imported products containing mercury in 2025 must report them before March 31, 2026.

Key Changes:

• Prohibitions effective June 19, 2025: products for which mercury-free alternatives now exist
• Gradual phase-out (2025–2030): Import, manufacture, and sale of common mercury-containing lamps (e.g., compact/straight/non-linear fluorescents) to be eliminated in stages.
• Exemptions remain for specialized lamps (e.g., horticultural, sanitizing, projector use)
• Reporting is required for exempted products in 2025, 2027, 2030 and every 3rd year after. Reports are due in the March after the reporting period (2025 data is due March 31, 2026; 2027 data is due March 31, 2028).

Action Required:
If you imported or manufactured exempted/permitted mercury-containing products in 2025, submit your report by March 31, 2026 via ECCC’s reporting system.

For full details on PCMR, see the factsheet detailing the product prohibition timeline, the Compliance Guide, and the Reporting under PCMR webpage.

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