More than 150 nations agreed to phase out the use of dental amalgam by 2034 during the sixth Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
The Minamata Convention on Mercury is a global treaty consisting of 153 nations aimed at protecting human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury.
The sixth conference was held Nov. 3-7 in Switzerland, during which attendees adopted 22 decisions related to the organization’s mission. One of these decisions was to establish a global phase-out of dental amalgam by 2034, which was met with applause and standing ovations, according to a Nov. 7 news release.
The decision comes after the group agreed to an amendment in 2022 requiring countries to protect vulnerable populations from dental amalgam use.
