A United Nations environmental body has decided to phase out the use of mercury — including dental amalgam — by 2034, as part of its broader effort to curb mercury pollution worldwide.
The sixth Conference of the Parties (COP-6) to the Minamata Convention on Mercury, administered by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), was held Nov. 3 to 7 in Geneva. Delegates agreed to accelerate the phase-out of products that still contain mercury, such as batteries, light bulbs and cosmetics, and to reduce emissions from factories and other industrial sources.
In total, parties adopted 22 decisions to advance the Convention’s objective of protecting human health and the environment from mercury pollution after a week of negotiations, UNEP said in a statement.
“Thank you all for your trust, your humour and your tireless cooperation,” said COP-6 President Osvaldo Álvarez Pérez of Chile in his closing remarks. “With your creativity and commitment, we have set ambitious new goals and left mercury a little further behind, together.”
Related: Two groups petition the FDA to ban mercury dental fillings, echoing EU move
Mercury pollution on the rise
Mercury occurs naturally in the Earth’s crust, but human activities such as mining and fossil-fuel combustion have intensified global mercury pollution. Once released into the atmosphere, mercury can settle into water or onto land, where it is converted into methylmercury — a highly toxic form that accumulates in fish, shellfish and animals that eat fish.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), most human exposure comes from eating contaminated seafood.
Recognizing this link, Interpol and partner agencies launched a global law-enforcement effort on Nov. 5 to dismantle criminal networks behind illegal logging, timber trafficking and gold mining — activities that contribute heavily to deforestation and mercury contamination.
The new phase of the operation, announced ahead of the COP-30 climate summit in Brazil later this month, focuses on tropical forests in Brazil, Ecuador, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Peru. It targets illegal mining in the Amazon Basin, now one of the leading sources of mercury pollution, and aims to strengthen intelligence-sharing among enforcement agencies.
Why dentistry is in the mercury-pollution spotlight
The FDI World Dental Federation, which participated in the Geneva discussions alongside other dental organizations, said the COP-6 decision to end amalgam use includes an exemption allowing dental practitioners to continue using amalgam when clinically necessary.
According to the FDI, the agreed text “ensures that even after the phase-out of dental amalgam, it can be used when its use is considered necessary by the dental practitioner based on the needs of the patient.” The organization said this provision protects equitable access to essential restorative care in situations where alternatives may be unavailable, unaffordable or unsuitable.
“As we move toward the eventual phase-out of dental amalgam, it is essential that the needs of our members, and the patients they serve, remain at the heart of every decision,” said Enzo Bondioni, Executive Director of FDI.
“This outcome provides much-needed time and clarity for our members to plan, prepare and implement the necessary national policies. It reinforces FDI’s commitment to supporting the global dental community in maintaining continuity of care and advancing oral-health equity during this important transition,” Bondioni added.
Related: Different Physical Stressors Cause Mercury To Be Released from Dental Amalgam Fillings
Other international dental groups also took part in the COP-6 negotiations, including the International Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research (IADR), the International Dental Manufacturers Association (IDM) and the American Dental Association (ADA). The FDI said these partners “worked tirelessly … to secure a balanced outcome that is fair to all countries and considers their specific challenges and capacities.”
Both the FDI and IADR said the 2034 timeline will allow governments and health systems to develop and implement national plans ahead of the phase-out.
So far, 43 countries, including members of the European Union, Sweden, Norway, Tanzania, Uganda, Indonesia and the Philippines, have already banned mercury amalgam. However, Canada, the United States and Britain have not yet prohibited its use. In the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland is expected to outlaw mercury fillings by 2035.