WEBINAR - Phasing down the use of dental amalgam and managing its associated waste: from knowledge to action

The Global Mercury Partnership and its two areas of work on mercury in products and waste management, in cooperation with the World Health Organization, organized a webinar on Monday 18 December 2023.

The webinar shared initial information on phasing down dental amalgam as well as on the ongoing project in Senegal, Thailand and Uruguay. The event also provided a platform to further exchange on existing experiences and best practices in reducing the use of dental amalgam, and managing in an environmentally sound manner the resulting mercury waste.

Agenda

Opening remarks and scene setting (2:30 pm – 2:35 pm)
Kenneth Davis, Chemicals and Health Branch, UNEP

Available knowledge and existing actions (2:35 pm – 3:55 pm)
facilitated by Benoit Varenne, World Health Organization

• Dental amalgam and the Minamata Convention: latest updates pursuant to COP5, Eisaku Toda, Minamata Convention Secretariat
• Best practices for dental amalgam waste management in health facilities, Nicolas Martin, Sheffield University
• International developments in policies and regulatory framework and momentum building towards a global phase out of dental amalgam, Michael Bender, Zero Mercury Working
  Group, Florian Schulze, European Network for Environmental Medicine

Questions and Answers

• Phasing down the use of dental amalgam: project overview and current progress, Gabriela Sardon, World Health Organization
• Challenges in the management of dental amalgam waste, Kumar Rajan, World Health Organization South-East Asia Regional Office
• Best practices and current approaches for the sound transport, treatment and final disposal of mercury in dental wastes, David Hunter, BATREC

Questions and Answers

Closing remarks (3:55pm – 4:00 pm)
Grace Halla, GEF Chemicals and Waste Unit, UNEP