A list of five mercury compounds that will be prohibited from export as of January 1, 2020 is the latest step taken by the EPA to implement the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, which was signed into law in June.

The reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) gives the EPA a number of responsibilities that must be completed within a tight timeframe. On June 29, 2016, the agency outlined its plan for fulfilling that mandate. The plan included issuing the list of prohibited mercury compounds list (which it did on August 26, 2016) , which will prevent the ability to convert these compounds to elemental mercury after export from the United States.