HEALTH : DENTAL AMALGAM: COMMISSION REOPENS DEBATE.

After a long silence on the question, the European Commission has just re-opened the debate on dental amalgam (better known as fillings). It has asked two of its expert committees to draft an opinion on the environmental and health risks from the use of dental amalgam(1). The Commission's final decision will depend on these reports, due to be finalised by mid-2014. It could also be influenced by recent developments in the international sphere, particularly the signature by 94 states parties (including the EU) of the first global legal instrument for the gradual prohibition of mercury (Minamata Convention).

Dental amalgam has been used for more than 150 years to treat cavities, due to its excellent mechanical properties and durability. It is composed of mercury, a chemical...