Another step has been taken toward phasing out the use of mercury – including dental amalgam –in hospitals in Pakistan. Last Monday, the Ministry of Climate Change assembled a group of stakeholders to discuss to what measures need to be taken. Chaired by Ministry of Climate Change Joint Secretary Iftikharul Hassan Gilani, participants included representatives from the ministry of health and the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI). The press reported that “It was agreed upon in the meeting that the mercury base dental amalgam fillings will soon be phased out.” Continue reading
Asia
National stakeholder conference to phase down amalgam use in India
The National Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry in India held a national workshop on mercury-free dentistry on 3 June 2016 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The workshop was organized in collaboration with the Asian Center for Environmental Health, with support from the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry. Stakeholder participation from this billion-people nation was widespread: dentists and dental schools, environmental NGO leaders, civic groups, physicians, corporations, generals, students, members of state parliament, plus the United Nations Environment Programme.
UNEP co-sponsors workshop to phase down amalgam use in Asian region
The United Nations Environment Programme and the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry co-sponsored a workshop in Bangkok, Thailand to assist Asian nations working to phase down amalgam use. Entitled “Successful Strategies to Phase Down Amalgam Use Toward Mercury-Free Dentistry,” the workshop drew government officials from Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam; plus NGO leaders from Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, and Philippines, as well as NGOs and dentists from across the region. Dr. Shahriar Hossain of the Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO) chaired the workshop. Continue reading
137 NGOs and professionals sign the Dhaka Declaration for Mercury-Free Dentistry for Asia
A series of workshops throughout South and Southeast Asia last fall focused in on one question: How do we end amalgam use in our nation? Then the South Asian Summit on Mercury-Free Dentistry met in Dhaka, Bangladesh, where non-government organization leaders from many Asian nations were huddling to hash out a plan. Together, they drafted a seminal document, the Dhaka Declaration for Mercury-Free Dentistry for Asia. This week, they unveiled it – replete with signatures from 137 non-government organizations and professionals from all over South and Southeast Asia. Continue reading
High levels of mercury emissions measured in dental institutions
Public health and environmental groups exposed the high concentration of mercury vapor in dental clinics and schools in the country in its study titled What’s Up in the Air? Mercury Vapor Levels in Dental Institutions.
Environmental justice group BAN Toxics and dentist Dr. Lillian Ebuen measured the level of concentration of mercury in five dental schools and supply stores in some regions of the country, including CAR.
Using the Lumex RA-915+ Mercury Vapor Analyzer, it was found out that mercury concentration values varied from 967ng/m3 to a high of 35,617ng/m3—the majority of which were at levels beyond recommended reference standards such as the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) action level of 1,000 ng/m3. Some areas posted a concentration of >10,000 ng/m3, which is considered as the evacuation alert level by the US EPA. Continue reading
