EU Commission study opens the way to phasing mercury out of dentistry and button cell batteries
BRUSSELS, July 23, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --
The European Environmental Bureau and the Mercury Policy Project
welcomed a new European Commission study, which recommends phasing out
dental amalgam use in the next five years, while improving enforcement
of existing EU waste legislation[1]. Likewise, the study also
recommended phasing out mercury use in button cell batteries within the
two years after legislation is adopted.
"Once again a report has conclusively shown that mercury use must be
phased out," said Elena Lymberidi-Settimo, Project Coordinator of EEB's
Zero Mercury Campaign. "The European Institutions and EU Member States
need to therefore take action against mercury use as the report
recommends. Effective and affordable alternatives to mercury use in
dentistry are available. It is high time that mercury becomes the
exception rather than the rule.'
Amalgam's negative environmental effects are known in the EU, US and
globally, and ultimately, society pays for the uncontrolled release of
dental mercury through additional pollution control costs and the health
effects associated with mercury pollution.
Sweden has already phased out dental mercury, while Denmark, Finland,
the Netherlands and Italy have all significantly reduced amalgam use[2].
Others, including Germany, Spain, Italy and Austria, either have
restrictions or guidance on amalgam in place.
Many EU and US dentists are already using alternatives to dental mercury
like composite and glass ionomer. As the report explains, "Unlike
dental amalgam, mercury-free materials have been the subject of
continuous technical improvements in the past years and this trend is
expected to continue."
The BIOS report noted that mercury-free fillings appear more expensive
than amalgam because the negative external costs associated with
management of amalgam waste and effluents are not factored into the
market price.
Michael Bender, director of the US-based Mercury Policy Project pointed
out that if they were, then the real price would be different. Referring
to the situation in the US he said: "If the cost externalities of
amalgam were factored in, the average price of an amalgam would be equal
to or approximately 15% higher than that of a composite[3]". He added
that "According to the BIOS report a similar result could be expected in
the EU, because the EU management of amalgam releases and cost
difference between composite and amalgam is comparable to that of the
U.S."
In view of both the environmental concerns and the precautionary
principle regarding direct health effects from amalgams, the European
Environmental Bureau is urging the European Commission and Member States
to act immediately to phase out the use of mercury in the dentistry and
button cell batteries as quickly as possible.
[1] Study on the potential for reducing mercury pollution from dental
amalgam and batteries, Final report prepared for the European Commission
- DG ENV, BIO Intelligence Service (2012).
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/chemicals/mercury/pdf/Final_report_11.07.12.pdf
[2] according to the BIOS study [3] EEB, MPP, CDC Publication 'The
Real Cost of Dental Mercury', March 2012.
http://mercurypolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/real_cost_of_dental_mercury_april_2012-final.pdf
SOURCE Mercury Policy Project
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