The Minamata Convention on Mercury requires Parties to phase out dental fillings containing mercury, called dental amalgam, by 2034. The phase-out requirement for children and pregnant women already took effect in 2023.
The COP amended Annex A to the Convention three times with regard to dental amalgam. COP-4 amendment added a requirement against the use of mercury in bulk form by dental practitioners and the use of dental amalgam for children and pregnant/breastfeeding women. COP-5 amendment required Parties that have not phased out dental amalgam to submit a national action plan or a report every four years as part of national reporting under Article 21. COP-6 amendment established the phase-out date of 2034 for manufacturing, import and export of dental amalgam, and required parties that have not phased out to take measures to not allow or significantly phase down dental amalgam. COP-6 decision allows the use of dental amalgam when it is considered necessary by the dental practitioner based on the needs of the patients.
National action plans or reports pursuant to COP-5 amendment are to be submitted to the Secretariat either by 31 December 2025 as part of the full national report, or by 31 December 2027 as part of the short national report.
The COP, in decision MC-6/13, requested the Secretariat to prepare a draft guidance on developing a national action plan to phase out dental amalgam, for consideration by COP-7.
Intersessional work and Submissions for COP-4
Dental amalgam
COP3 encouraged Parties to take more than the two required measures in accordance with part II of Annex A to the Convention to phase down the use of dental amalgam, and requested the Secretariat to collect information on the implementation of any such additional measures taken by Parties.
In addition, it requested the Secretariat to collect from Parties and others information pursuant to paragraph 7, Article 4 of the Convention, i.e. information including that related to the availability, technical and economic feasibility and environmental and health risks and benefits of the non-mercury alternatives to the product.
Information on the implementation of any additional measures taken by Parties
Parties were invited to provide information on the implementation of any additional measures taken in accordance with part II of Annex A to the Convention by 31 January 2021.
Information on non-mercury alternatives to dental amalgam
Parties and others were invited to provide information including that related to the availability, technical and economic feasibility and environmental and health risks and benefits of the non-mercury alternatives to dental amalgam by 1 July 2020. The following submissions have been received. Upon the request from some Parties, the deadline for this submission was extended until 15 August 2020.
Submissions on the review of Annexes A and B from Argentina and Colombia, available above, also contain information on dental amalgam
