Mercury
Mercury and its compounds are strictly regulated under the Chemical Risk Reduction Ordinance (ORRChem) because of the risks they pose to the environment and human health. Since 2018, restrictions and authorisation requirements have also applied to imports and exports of metallic mercury and to imports of mercury compounds.
Restrictions on supply and use
Apart from a few exceptions, all known uses of mercury are now prohibited. These bans apply both to its use as an auxiliary material in industry (e.g. as a catalyst in the chemical synthesis of polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride (PVC), for chlorine-alkali electrolysis, etc.) and as a component in products (e.g. fluorescent tubes and lamps, switches and relays, batteries, measuring devices, dental fillings, etc.). Furthermore, as a precautionary measure, any new use of mercury or its compounds in preparations and articles that was not already established in Switzerland before 1 January 2018 is also prohibited.
The following lists provide an overview of ORRChem prohibitions and restrictions on the use of particularly hazardous substances, including mercury and its compounds.