Global Campaign Against Mercury Moves to an End Zone

By Thalif DeenUNITED NATIONS, Jun 25 2018 (IPS)A global campaign to end a longstanding health and environmental hazard– the use of mercury in dentistry—is steadily moving to a successful conclusion.Providing an update, Charlie Brown, head of the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry, one of the key campaigners, told IPS that “nation by nation, the world is on the threshold of ending amalgam for children in 2018.” Participants in the global workshop in Bangkok, co-sponsored by the UN Environment (UNE) and the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry. Credit: UNE“Europe takes that exciting step on July 1. Asian nations like Bangladesh and Vietnam are taking the same bold step this year. Several African nations may follow the lead of Mauritius (which ended amalgam for children in 2014). And Latin American nations such as Uruguay are well-prepared to do the same,” said Brown, a former Governor of the US state of Ohio.One of the highlights of the global campaign was an international workshop last month in the Thai capital of Bangkok.Brown said “people arrived at the global workshop believing they would make history– and they left having made history.”The theme of the Minamata Convention, a legally-binding landmark treaty, is “Make mercury … history.” And the theme of the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry, declared Brown, is “Make dental amalgam … history.”Amalgam has been defined as an alloy that consists chiefly of silver mixed w...

Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - June 25, 2018 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Thalif Deen Tags: Environment Featured Global Global Governance Headlines Health IPS UN: Inside the Glasshouse Mercury Population TerraViva United Nations Source Type: news