QCVN 02:2020/BCT

NATIONAL TECHNICAL REGULATION ON MERCURY CONTENT IN FLUORESCENT LAMP

Foreword

QCVN 02:2020/BCT is developed by the Drafting Team, submitted by the Vietnam Chemicals Agency for approval, appraised by the Ministry of Science and Technology and promulgated together with the Circular No. 45/2020/TT-BCT dated December 21, 2020 by the Minister of Industry and Trade.

NATIONAL TECHNICAL REGULATION ON MERCURY CONTENT IN FLUORESCENT LAMPS

I. General

1. Scope

This Regulation provides for technical requirements, test methods and regulatory requirements for mercury content in fluorescent lamps specified in the Appendix hereto.

2. Regulated entities

This Regulation applies to producers, importers and traders of fluorescent lamps containing mercury specified in the Appendix hereto, regulatory bodies and other related organizations and individuals.

3. Definitions

For the purposes of this Regulation, the terms below shall be construed as follows:

3.1. “maximum limit of mercury” means the maximum permissible amount of mercury in a fluorescent lamp.

3.2. “fluorescent lamp” means a low pressure mercury-type discharge lamp in which most of the light is emitted by one or more layers of phosphorous material excited by the ultraviolet radiation created by the discharge.

3.3. “compact fluorescent lamp (CFL)” means a low-pressure mercury-vapour gas discharge lamp which has an integrated cap and starter.

3.4. “linear fluorescent lamp (LFL)” means a fluorescent lamp with a long tube.

3.5. “cold cathode fluorescent lamp for electronic displays (CCFL)” means a small diameter fluorescent lamp having cold cathode in the lamp in which most of the light is emitted by the excitation of phosphors in discharge tube and used as backlighting in LCD.

3.6. “external electrode fluorescent lamp (EEFL)” means a small diameter fluorescent lamp having cold cathode attached outside the lamp in which most of the light is emitted by the excitation of phosphors in discharge tube and used as backlighting in LCD.

3.7. IEC stands for International Electrotechnical Commission which was established in 1906.

II. Technical requirements

1. Normative references

 Minamata Convention on Mercury in force as of September 21, 2017 to which the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam became a signatory on October 11, 2013.

1.2. TCVN 10172:2013 (IEC 62554:2011) Sample preparation for measurement of mercury level in fluorescent lamps

1.3. IEC 62321-4:2017 (Determination of certain substances in electrotechnical Products - Part 4: Mercury in polymers, metals and electronics by CV-AAS, CV-AFS, ICP-OES and ICP-MS).

2. Technical requirements

Permissible limits of mercury content in fluorescent lamps are specified in Table 1.

Table 1 - Limits of mercury content in fluorescent lamps

3. Test methods

3.1. Sample preparation methods are specified under TCVN 10172:2013 - Sample preparation for measurement of mercury level in fluorescent lamps.

3.2. Mercury content in fluorescent lamps are determined under IEC 62321-4:2017 (Determination of certain substances in electrotechnical Products - Part 4: Mercury in polymers, metals and electronics by CV-AAS, CV-AFS, ICP-OES and ICP-MS).

III. Regulatory requirements

1. Declaration of conformity

1.1. Fluorescent lamps containing mercury shall, before being circulated on the market, have their conformity declared in accordance with this Regulation.

1.2. Conformity of fluorescent lamps containing mercury shall be declared as prescribed in points a and b clause 2 Article 11 of the Circular No. 36/2019/TT-BCT dated November 29, 2019 of the Minister of Industry and Trade on management of quality of products and goods under the management of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

2. Assessment of conformity

2.1. Assessment of conformity

In the case of import of fluorescent lamps containing mercury: carry out conformity assessment by adopting method 1 in Appendix II to the Circular No. 28/2012/TT-BKHCN dated December 12, 2012 of the Minister of Science and Technology on declaration of standard conformity and technical-regulation conformity and methods for assessment of conformity with standards and technical regulations (hereinafter referred to as “Circular No. 28/2012/TT-BKHCN”) and Circular No. 02/2017/TT-BKHCN dated March 31, 2017 of the Minister of Science and Technology on amendments to some Articles of the Circular No. 28/2012/TT-BKHCN (hereinafter referred to as “Circular No. 02/2017/TT-BKHCN”).

In the case of domestic production of fluorescent lamps containing mercury: carry out conformity assessment by adopting method 5 in Appendix II to the Circular No. 28/2012/TT-BKHCN and Circular No. 02/2017/TT-BKHCN.

2.2. Regarding conformity assessment bodies: comply with the regulations laid down in point a clause 1 Article 8 of the Circular No. 36/2019/TT-BCT dated November 29, 2019 of the Minister of Industry and Trade on management of quality of products and goods under the management of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

3. Use of conformity marks

Conformity marks must be used in compliance with clause 2 Article 4 of the Circular No. 28/2012/TT-BKHCN.

IV. Responsibilities of organizations and individuals

1. Producers, importers and traders of fluorescent lamps containing mercury must ensure their quality according to regulations of law on quality of products and goods and regulations enshrined in this document.

2. Producers, importers and traders of fluorescent lamps containing mercury must, after declaring conformity, must register their conformity declarations with the Department of Industry and Trade where they register their production, trading and import as prescribed in clause 2 Article 12 of the Circular No. 36/2019/TT-BCT.

V. Implementation

1. The Vietnam Chemicals Agency shall cooperate with related agencies and units in providing guidelines for and inspecting the implementation of this Regulation.

2. The Vietnam Directorate of Market Surveillance shall organize and direct the market surveillance force to carry out inspection and control, and take actions against regulations on quality of fluorescent lamps circulated on the market under regulations of law and this Regulation.

3. Departments of Industry and Trade of provinces and central-affiliated cities shall cooperate with related agencies and units in providing guidelines for and inspecting the implementation of this Regulation within their provinces.

4. If any of the legislative documents, documents and standards referred to in this Regulation is changed, amended or replaced, the newest one shall prevail./.

APPENDIX

LIST OF FLUORESCENT LAMPS SUBJECT TO THE REQUIREMENTS UNDER QCVN    :2020/BCT

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