Mercury amalgam will no longer be able to be used by dentists in the EU from the beginning of next year. Today negotiators in the European Parliament and the Council reached a political agreement on the European Commission’s proposal on the use of mercury in products in the EU.
The current ban
Although there are valid alternatives, around 40 tonnes of mercury is still used in dental amalgam every year in the Union, as current regulations prohibit it for the treatment of teeth only in children under 15 and in pregnant and breastfeeding women.
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The deadline in various countries
Negotiators agreed to phase out the use of dental amalgam in the EU by 1 January 2025, unless deemed strictly necessary by the dentist, based on the patient’s duly justified specific medical needs. EU countries that have not yet adjusted their reimbursement systems to cover alternatives could postpone the elimination until 30 June 2026, to avoid negative repercussions for low-income people, who would otherwise be disproportionately affected by the elimination. From January 1st 2025 the export of dental amalgam will also be banned, while from July 1st 2026 the production and import into the EU will be prohibited.
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For rapporteur Marlene Mortler (EPP, Germany) “it is an important step towards a mercury-free future. I am very satisfied with the result, because we have guaranteed that dental amalgam can only be used in medically necessary cases”.
Some Member States, continues Mortler, “have been granted an exemption to mitigate the socio-economic consequences of the phasing out of amalgam. The ban must not mean that low-income European citizens can no longer afford adequate dental care, in these Villages”.
Another key point of the agreement, adds the rapporteur, “is the decision that lamps containing mercury can be exported to countries outside the EU only until 30 June 2026. This will guarantee that products already banned in the EU will not are sold to third countries and have harmful consequences for the local environment.”
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The harm of mercury
The agreement still needs to be adopted by Parliament and the Council, after which the new law will be published in the EU’s Official Journal and will come into force 20 days later. Mercury is a highly toxic chemical, which poses a threat to human health and the environment. When released into the environment it enters the food chain where it accumulates, particularly in fish. Exposure to high levels of mercury can cause damage to the brain, lungs, kidneys and immune system.