Ban on mercury thermometers to take effect soon

China will ban the production of mercury-containing thermometers and blood pressure monitors from Jan 1, aiming to curb mercury pollution and reduce spill risks as safer alternatives are suggested for customers.

The prohibition stems from a notice jointly issued by several government agencies in 2017. The document outlined a series of measures to implement the Minamata Convention on Mercury — a global treaty China ratified to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury.

The notice mandated a phased ban on the production and trade of various mercury-based products. This included a specific prohibition on manufacturing mercury thermometers and blood pressure monitors, effective from the beginning of 2026.

For decades, the mercury thermometer has been a common household item in China, prized for its affordability, ease of use, high sensitivity, and reliable performance even in harsh or remote conditions.

However, its casing is made of fragile glass, and each device contains approximately 1 gram of mercury — a highly toxic heavy metal, according to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The World Health Organization lists mercury as one of the 10 chemicals of greatest public health concern. Exposure can have toxic effects on the nervous, digestive, and immune systems, as well as on the lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes.

In the event that a thermometer breaks, the spilled mercury can evaporate into vapor and this poses health risks to anyone who inhales the vapor or makes direct skin contact with the liquid, according to the China CDC.

However, if proper cleanup and disposal methods are followed, there is no need to panic. These include: opening windows to ventilate the area, carefully collecting spilled beads using cardboard, and disposing of the waste at a designated hazardous materials site.

The use of a vacuum cleaner or broom is strongly discouraged, as they can spread mercury vapor and particles.

If the skin or the inside of the mouth is cut by broken glass from a thermometer, the wound should be rinsed immediately under running water to ensure any silver-white liquid mercury particles are flushed away.

Li Tongzeng, a physician in the infectious disease department at Beijing Youan Hospital, said during an interview with Xinhua News Agency that safer alternatives are readily available. These include forehead thermometers and ear thermometers.

To ensure accurate readings, users should maintain the proper distance when using a forehead thermometer. For an ear thermometer, the ear canal should be clean, and the probe must be placed snugly inside.

For those accustomed to traditional oral or underarm measurement, Li recommends mercury-free thermometers that use a gallium-indium-tin alloy.

Such thermometers can read temperatures precisely and are safer, he said.