The 2013 Minamata Convention on Mercury was signed by 140 nations who shared the goal of protecting the population and the planet from the excessive and casual uses of mercury.
The Convention covered topics including, gold mining, product development, air emissions, water contamination and more.
One of the most important areas included was the use of mercury in amalgam fillings,
known as "silver" fillings. Unfortunate exclusions were vaccines, pesticides and cosmetics.
The Convention covered topics including, gold mining, product development, air emissions, water contamination and more.
One of the most important areas included was the use of mercury in amalgam fillings,
known as "silver" fillings. Unfortunate exclusions were vaccines, pesticides and cosmetics.
The United States, as a signer of the Minamata Convention has agreed to implement it. The following is the excerpt
from the Convention that covers dental amalgams and their mercury content:
Dental amalgam
Measures to be taken by a Party to phase down the use of dental amalgam shall take into account the Party’s domestic circumstances and relevant international guidance and shall include two or more of the measures from the following list:
The Minamata Convention can be read in full at:
http://www.mercuryconvention.org/Convention/tabid/3426/Default.aspx
from the Convention that covers dental amalgams and their mercury content:
Dental amalgam
Measures to be taken by a Party to phase down the use of dental amalgam shall take into account the Party’s domestic circumstances and relevant international guidance and shall include two or more of the measures from the following list:
- (i) Setting national objectives aiming at dental caries prevention and health promotion, thereby minimizing the need for dental restoration;
- (ii) Setting national objectives aiming at minimizing its use;
- (iii) Promoting the use of cost-e ective and clinically e ective mercury-free alternatives for dental restoration;
- (iv) Promoting research and development of quality mercury-free materials for dental restoration;
- (v) Encouraging representative professional organizations and dental schools to educate and train dental professionals and students on the use of mercury-free dental restoration alternatives and on promoting best management practices;
- (vi) Discouraging insurance policies and programmes that favour dental amalgam use over mercury-free dental restoration;
- (vii) Encouraging insurance policies and programmes that favour the use of quality alternatives to dental amalgam for dental restoration;
- (viii) Restricting the use of dental amalgam to its encapsulated form;
- (ix) Promoting the use of best environmental practices in dental facilities to reduce releases of mercury and mercury compounds to water and land.
The Minamata Convention can be read in full at:
http://www.mercuryconvention.org/Convention/tabid/3426/Default.aspx