160 countries commit to the fight against mercury

In the opening address, President of the Swiss Confederation Doris Leuthard described the Minamata Convention as a success of multilateralism. “The Minamata Convention is a global solution to a global challenge. From now on the name Minamata will no longer only be associated with a problem, but with a solution,” she said.

Representing the oral health community were members of the FDI World Dental Federation. In support of the phase-down of dental amalgam, their presence during the negotiations was to ensure the convention stipulated this and not a complete phase-out. According to the FDI, its position has always been that amalgam phase-down can only be a reality if access to safe, effective, affordable alternatives, specifically in low- and middle-income countries, is made a priority, together with financial support.

For the dental profession, the implementation of Part II of Annex A on mercury-added products and dental amalgam is the beginning of this phasing down process. Outlining a total of nine provisions, Article 4, to which the annex applies, is aimed at the re-education of people on alternative non-mercury methods, improvement of oral health to minimise the need for dental restoration, promotion of research and development, discouragement of insurance policies and programmes that favour dental amalgam use over mercury-free dental restoration, and restriction of the use of dental amalgam to its encapsulated form. Countries that have ratified the agreement must implement two of the nine provisions.

In addition to those addressing dental amalgam, guidelines adopted during the meeting specify how the atmospheric mercury emissions generated by coal-fired power plants, waste incineration plants and cement plants can be reduced. Under the convention, countries are to control mercury emissions from key industries, ban new mercury mining and close existing mercury mines after a period, control trade in mercury, work to reduce the use of mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (the largest source of mercury pollution), and promote international cooperation on mercury monitoring and innovation.

In a closing statement, Principal Coordinator of the Interim Secretariat of the Minamata Convention on Mercury Jacob Duer said, “Entering this COP with 83 countries including the European Union having ratified the convention is a great achievement and a great start for the convention.”

The convention takes its name from the most severe mercury poisoning disaster in history, which occurred in Minamata in Japan and was discovered in 1956. After continued dumping of industrial wastewater into Minamata Bay, mercury bioaccumulated in fish and shellfish, and local villagers who ate these started suffering convulsions, psychosis and loss of consciousness. Thousands of people were certified as having directly suffered from mercury poisoning, now known as Minamata disease.