Asia will phase out Amalgam by 2018

12th January 2015
More than 137 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), individuals, dentists and professionals from Asian countries signed a declaration calling for Asia to phase out Amalgam by 2018.

The South and South East Asia Summit on Phasing Out Amalgam, held in Dhaka on 14 November 2014, bringing together with Dentists and NGO leaders from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand have adopted the Dhaka Declaration and now invite Dentists and NGO leaders from across Asia to join as signatories.

Amalgam fillings are 50% mercury, a major neurotoxin. Its continuous use is not justified because alternatives are now affordable, effective, and available in Asia. The restriction of its use is demanded worldwide in the Minamata Convention on Mercury, adopted by more than 140 governments and the EU in 2013, in Kumamoto, Japan. Signed by 128 nations and ratified by 8.

The CSOs call the Asian countries to work together and make Asia the first continent with mercury-free dentistry � considering that Asia is more densely populated than any other continent and the health and environmental costs will therefore be more significant.

In addition, the CSOs call the countries to adopt effective amalgam phase down strategies that have been proven in nations that have already phased out or significantly reduced dental mercury use by raising awareness about dental mercury to parents, consumers, dental workers, health professionals, and educators and achieve the following priorities;

1. Make it an immediate priority to stop the use of mercury amalgam in the treatment of children and pregnant women by June 2015.
2. Develop an alternative dental curriculum with a specific chapter on the dental restoration process of amalgam and its harm to dental staff, patients and the environment by 2015.
3. Pass national regulation to ban the use, import and sale of mercury amalgam by 2016-2020 as per country situation.
4. Promote alternative restoration materials and ensure they are affordable and accessible.

Furthermore, the CSOs call Asian countries to reject the double standard mentality which infers that Asians must accept toxic chemicals that the rest of the world is rejecting.

Press Release from CEPHED can be found here (PRESS RELEASE)

For the detail about Dhaka Declaration, go to this link (DHAKA DECLARATION).