Buenos Aires — In the last quarter of 2010 HCWH, together with Argentina’s Ministry of Health, the Panamerican Health Organization and the UNDP-GEF Health Care Waste Project, held a "reflection and information exchange session", on addressing the problem of mercury pollution in the health sector stemming from the use of dental amalgam.
The Discussion Paper, which represents the conclusions of this exchange, is an important step forward in addressing this major source of mercury emissions not only in Argentina, but possibly more broadly as well.
Participants agreed on several points including:
- The need "to undertake actions that will contribute to the progressive replacement of mercury in dental amalgam with safer and healthier alternatives, a process that has already begun in some health facilities in the country;"
- And "that until that goal is met, it is essential to modify practices and procedures that will lead to improved health and environmental conditions associated with the use of mercury." This includes protecting workers’ and patients’ health by reducing mercury exposures with measures such as: standardizing operating procedures where mercury amalgam is used; better management and control of mercury waste; spill clean-up protocols; and purchasing of safer amalgam packaging and products.
- All of this, and more, should take place "in the framework of health promotion education and prevention programs, which have the objective to decrease the need for treatments that require dental restorations."
- Read Discussion paper