The Minamata Convention has urged parties to phase down the use of dental amalgam, a filling material that contains about 50 per cent mercury.
The next step is to prepare for the global phase-out and there is a movement to phase out this toxic and polluting product at the second in-person part of COP4 to be held in Bali on March 21-25 next year, said a statement issued by the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry on Friday.
The Minamata Convention on Mercury is the most recent global agreement on environment and health which was adopted in 2013.
The World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry also welcomed the growing momentum to phase out the use of dental amalgam following the first part of the fourth Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (COP4) held virtually from November 1 to November 5.
The World Health Organization for its part presented its Report of the Informal Global WHO Consultation with Policymakers in Dental Public Health (2021) at the event.
WHO concluded, "The results of the consultation with policymakers in dental public health highlight that phase-down and even phase-out of use of dental amalgam is achievable, especially as effective, cost-effective and simple-to-use mercury-free alternatives are increasingly available."
According to the survey carried out by WHO, 14 per cent of countries reported that they had completely phased out the use of dental amalgam, and in the Europe and American regions, as many as two-thirds of countries had either already phased out the use of dental amalgam or were expected to do so by 2025.
Preparing for a general amalgam phase-out, WHO added glass-ionomer cements, a mercury-free alternative to amalgam, to the list of essential medicines in October.
"We urge all parties to consider this new information confirming that mercury-free alternatives to amalgam are effective, available and affordable," said Dr. Graeme Munro-Hall, Chief Dental Officer of the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry, a coalition of more than 50 organizations from all regions working to end the use of amalgam.
Siddika Sultana, Director at Asian Centre for Environmental Health said, "The use of mercury-free dental fillings is critical to the health of women and children who are particularly vulnerable to the neurotoxic effects of mercury from amalgam whether it is implanted in their teeth or polluting their environment."
© 2024 - All Rights with The Financial Express
