ISLAMABAD: Imposing regulations on mercury use in dental amalgam is under consideration in the country as it was discussed in a meeting held under the chairmanship of Secretary Ministry of Climate Change Iftikhar ul Hassan Gilani. Dental amalgam is a mixture of mercury, silver, tin and copper. Mercury, which makes up about 50 percent of the compound, is used to bind the metals together and to provide a strong, hard, durable filling.
The first consultative meeting of stakeholders to gradually phase-out the use of Mercury amalgam in dental clinics and hospitals was organised by the ministry at its secretariat on Tuesday.
The Joint Secretary explained about the measures under Minamata Convention on mercury include those to control the supply and trade of it, including limitations on certain specific sources of mercury, such as from primary mining.
“There are also control measures on mercury-added products and manufacturing process in which mercury or mercury compounds are used, as well as controls on artisanal and small-scale gold mining. Emissions and releases of mercury each have a separate article, with controls directed to reducing levels of mercury while allowing flexibility to accommodate national development plans”, he said.
Iftikhar ul Hassan said there are measures on environmentally sound interim storage of mercury and on mercury wastes, as well as measures on contaminated sites.
Provision is made within Convention for financial and technical support to developing countries and countries with economies in transition, with a financial mechanism, he added.
Deputy Director (Chemical), Ministry of Climate Change Dr Zaigham Abbas informed the participants about the toxicity of mercury in products such as dental amalgam, skin whitening creams, light bulbs etc in our country.
“The health impacts of mercury are well established. Minamata Convention on mercury was adopted in October 2013 at Kumamoto, Japan and Pakistan signed the Convention on 10th October, 2013 at Kumamoto, Japan .Currently, 128 countries are the signatory and 28 countries have ratified the said Convention. Pakistan yet has to ratify the said Convention”, he informed.
“The objective of the Convention is for the protection of human health and environment from emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds.
He said, “Mercury is recognized as substance producing significant neurological and other effects, with concerns expressed particularly about the effects on unborn children and infants. The global transport of mercury in the environment was a key reason for taking the decision that global action to address the problem of mercury pollution in the environment is required”.
He also informed that UNEP has approved project titled “Development of Minamata Initial Assessment in Pakistan. This project has been approved during the Global Environment Facility (GEF) fifth Replenishment.
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the Implementing Agency and International Environmental Technology Center, UNEP, Osaka, Japan is the Executing Agency for the project activities.
The project will be implemented in close cooperation with Ministry of Climate Change, as well as IETC, UNEP and its Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP).