25/04/2017 (Agence Europe) – Public health and the environment should now be much better protected against mercury, a highly toxic heavy metal, thanks to the new regulation adopted without debate by the Council of the EU on Tuesday 25 April (see EUROPE 11745). The new regulation puts in place EU-wide measures to control and restrict: - the use, storage and sale of mercury, its compounds and mixtures of mercury; - the manufacture and sale of products containing mercury; - the use of mercury in dental amalgam fillings for pregnant women and children under the age of 15. It seeks, too, to ensure proper management of waste containing mercury. The regulation, which will be applicable from 1 January 2018, transposes into EU law the Minamata Convention, which the EU has yet to ratify. The European Parliament is expected to back ratification on Thursday. (AN)