UN agrees to reduce mercury emissions

UN agrees to reduce mercury emissions
More than 140 countries have reached a deal to reduce emissions of mercury after all-night talks in Geneva, Reuters reports. The provisions include binding requirements for countries to phase down dental amalgam, although no timetable was agreed.

The agreement states that 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’ They shall include two or more of the measures from the following list:

  1. Setting national objectives aiming at dental caries prevention and health promotion, thereby minimising the need for dental restoration;
  2. Setting national objectives aiming at minimising its use;
  3. Promoting the use of cost-effective and clinically effective mercury-free alternatives for dental restoration;
  4. Promoting research and development of quality mercury-free materials for dental restoration;
  5. Encouraging representative professional organisations 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;
  6. Discouraging insurance policies, and programmes that favour dental amalgam use over mercury-free dental restoration;
  7. Encouraging insurance policies and programmes that favour the use of quality alternatives to dental amalgam for dental restoration;
  8. Restricting the use of dental amalgam to its encapsulated form;
  9. Promoting the use of best environmental practices in dental facilities to reduce releases of mercury and mercury compounds to water and land.

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