Ban on the use of mercury in Sweden
Since the 1990s, it has been forbidden to manufacture and use thermometers, measuring instruments and certain electronic components containing mercury. Despite these measures, contamination remains serious. For this reason, the Government wanted to take a further step and banned all other uses of mercury as of 1 June 2009. The ban also prevents the release of mercury and products containing mercury onto the Swedish market.
In practice, the ban means that, above all, alternative techniques must be used in dental care, in chemical analysis and in the chloral-kali industry. The chloralkali industry manufactures chlorine and lye, and uses mercury in its production. Products already subject to harmonised EU regulations, such as batteries and light sources, are not covered by the ban.
Decision on the permanent storage of mercury
In 2008 the Government opened the door for the permanent storage of mercury waste in deep bedrock depositories approved for this purpose in other EU Member States. This decision was taken after the Government, on 7 July 2005, instructed an inquiry to review the possibilities of building a facility for the deep disposal of mercury waste in Sweden in a cost-effective manner. The inquiry was also to review other storage options in the Nordic region and the EU. The inquiry presented its findings in March 2008.
The inquiry noted that very good technical conditions are in place to build safe underground storage facilities in Swedish bedrock. However, the Swedish market for hazardous waste is relatively small, which makes disposal expensive approximately 15 times more expensive than disposal in existing facilities in Germany. The inquiry concluded that the German salt mines adequately meet the safety requirements for storage in deep bedrock, which forms the basis of Swedish legislation. According to the inquiry, disposal in Norway also fulfils the safety requirements.
