Common sense at last on amalgam - BDA
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- Published: Thursday, 04 February 2016 08:01
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The BDA has celebrated the final ratification of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, with confirmation that individual nations can work to gradually scale down the use of dental amalgam. BDA Chair Mick Armstrong said: “This is a triumph for common sense and BDA lobbying based on a considerable weight of sound research and science.”
The news follows a ten year campaign, which saw BDA representatives led by Stuart Johnston and Susie Sanderson, work through the FDI World Dental Federation and Council of European Dentists to move the debate from an unworkable complete ban towards a gradual reduction in the use of dental amalgam. World-wide environmental concerns over mercury had led the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) to draw up The Minamata Convention. Dental amalgam makes a small contribution to environmental mercury pollution but has been used as a safe, durable, stable and cost effective restorative dental material for more than 150 years.
BDA Chair Mick Armstrong said: “This is a triumph for common sense and BDA lobbying based on a considerable weight of sound research and science. A decade ago it looked like dental professionals around the world were going to be thrown into chaos by an unworkable outright ban of dental amalgam. We were determined to fight for a sensible policy even when the prospect seemed distant, and today that work has paid off. The fact we are looking at reasonable restrictions and a gradual phasing out of dental amalgam – and not a kneejerk ban – is testament to a decade of persistent lobbying. Particular thanks must go to Stuart Johnston, Susie Sanderson and BDA staff for their tireless efforts. The entire dental community is in their debt.”
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