Uruguay - New Decree of Environmental Management of Lamps and Other Mercury-Containing Waste

​The Ministry of Environment of Uruguay (MVOTMA) published the Decree 15/2019 on January 8th 2019 with the regulation for the adequate management of articles that contain mercury and its residues.

The articles reached by the decree that enter the country (compact and linear fluorescent lamps, high pressure mercury vapor lamps, cold cathode fluorescent lamps, external electrode fluorescent lamps, high discharge lamps, thermometers and pressure measuring devices arterial) may not exceed the maximum mercury content established in the Minamata Convention and in some cases, its manufacture, import and sale will be prohibited, as is the case of clinical mercury thermometers.

The decree establishes the obligation of the importers of the products reached by the regulation, to design and implement a post-consumption plan that includes the reception, collection, storage, treatment and final destination of the waste with mercury.