“STOP Dental Mercury!”

To the President of the EU Commission, José Manuel Durão Barroso
To the EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy, John Dalli
To the EU Commissioner for Environment, Janez Potočnik
To the Executive Director of the European Environment Agency, Jacqueline McGlade
To the Director-General for Health and Consumer Protection (DG SANCO) of the European Commission, Robert Madelin
To the Head of the Unit for Product and Service Safety at the DG-SANCO, Bernardo Delogu
To the President of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek
To the President of the Council of the European Union, Herman van Rompuy
To the President of the Court of Justice of the European Communities, Vassilios Skouris
To the President of the European Court of Human Rights, Jean-Paul Costa
To all EU Environment Ministers
To all EU Health Ministers
Dental amalgam is composed of 50% liquid mercury that becomes solid when mixed with the other elements of the amalgam such as silver, copper, tin and zinc. Despite claims that amalgam dental fillings are safe, once solidified, the fillings have been proven to discharge mercury vapour, among other reasons, when masticating food or consuming hot fluids.

The mercury content of amalgam fillings can be transformed into inorganic and organic forms of mercury, and then slowly and consistently absorbed in the body through saliva and breath; the vapour finds its way into the digestive system, arriving to the lungs, then to blood and the likely possibility of accumulation in various parts of the body (kidneys, liver, stomach, bones, muscles, fat, prostate, testicles, brain, etc.);

Since the World Health Organization (WHO) said, in its Policy Paper from 2005 (“Mercury in Health Care”) that “Mercury is very toxic”; moreover, it may be fatal if inhaled and harmful if absorbed through the skin;

Since around 80% of the inhaled mercury vapour is absorbed in the blood through the lungs and it may cause harmful effects to the nervous, digestive, respiratory, immune system and to the kidneys, besides causing lung damage;

Since adverse health effects from mercury exposure can be: tremors, impaired vision and hearing, paralysis, insomnia, emotional instability, developmental deficits during foetal development and attention deficit and developmental delays during childhood.

Since recent studies suggest that mercury may have no threshold below which some adverse effects do not occur;

Since in 1991, the World Health Organization confirmed that mercury contained in dental amalgam is the greatest source of mercury vapour in non-industrialized settings, exposing the concerned population to mercury levels significantly exceeding those set for food and for air;

Since there is a greater release of mercury vapours when placing and removing amalgams;

Since there are less toxic alternatives to amalgam fillings, such as ceramics and composites without Bisphenol A;

Since the USA Food and Drug Administration has admitted the risks that amalgam fillings can pose for some people;

Since scientific studies suggest the link between amalgam exposure and the onset or aggravation of a number of illnesses, including Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Candidiasis Syndrome, and other several neurological, immune, dermatological, allergological, mental, digestive, kidney, visual, otorinolaringological problems, etc.;

Since the use of mercury in dental fillings has also a negative impact on the environment that could be avoided (the mercury contamination on the environment occurs through the human body fluids, through cremation and burials, and through disposal from the dental practice even in the case that a specific dental clinic has separation devices);

Even though there is not total scientific consensus about the dangers of amalgam fillings;

Under the Precautionary Principle advocated by the European Parliament on September 4th 2008 with the Mid-term Action Plan for Environment and Health 2004-2010;

The petitioners DEMAND that dental amalgam fillings are forbidden by law at European level.

Furthermore, that compulsory training of Dentists is initiated for the safe removal of amalgam fillings with quadruple protection protocol (oxygen mask, drill at low-speed, rubber dam and strong suction) and DEMAND that in the meantime, until an EU amalgam ban is made compulsory, good amalgam separators are provided for mandatory use in the dental practice.

All the issues above should also be considered under the EU Mercury Strategy review which is under way. We would expect the revised EU Mercury strategy to include relevant actions towards phasing out dental amalgam fillings.

The demands of the petition are supported by a huge scientific literature. This petition is promoted by NGOs from all over the world.

If you want toread the references of this petition and the full list of promoters, click here: http://www.infoamica.it/engart.asp?a=11&sa=0&art=402