Safe' amalgam fillings classed as toxic waste

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http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/9666.html

 

Safe’ amalgam fillings classed as toxic waste

 

 

AMALGAM fillings are to be officially classed as poisonous to the environment,

even though they are deemed safe to put in people's mouths.

The fillings, which contain 50% mercury, a liquid metal that is one of the most

poisonous substances known, are to be designated as toxic waste by the Scottish

Executive later this year.

The silver paste, which was first used by the Chinese in the seventh century to

fill decayed teeth, has historically been considered suitable for human use, but

serious doubts have been raised about its safety.

It has been linked to ailments including Alzheimer's disease, multiple

sclerosis, kidney failure, asthma, and other auto-immune illnesses.

In the interest of protecting their citizens' health, countries such as Sweden,

Norway, Germany, Denmark, Austria, Finland and Canada have taken steps to limit

or phase out the use of amalgam fillings.

Studies show that every day each filling releases up to 10 micrograms of mercury

as a vapour into the body through chewing. But experts are at odds over whether

this is at levels that would cause concern.

However, dental amalgam is to be classified as hazardous in amendments to

special waste regulations in Scotland, which will come into force this summer

and have been drawn up to protect the environment.

Under these it will be illegal to dispose of waste amalgam into the public water

system.

The executive's stance emerged after the UK was given a final written warning by

the EU for failing to comply with waste legislation that forbids the leaking of

toxic amalgam into the environment through waste water systems.

Non-compliance could mean a fine of £370,000 a day until the executive

conforms.

The law insists that amalgam filters or separators are used, and that the waste

is treated as hazardous, so that it is not disposed of with domestic refuse, as

the regulations require.

The problem is that treatment plants separate waste water into water and sludge

but mercury does not disappear through this process.

The amendments will ensure the waste is properly accounted for and handled by

licensed waste management companies.

Dental practices will have to complete records of all waste and how it was

disposed under a mandatory tracking system overseen by the Scottish Environment

Protection Agency.

It is thought that many dentists and NHS facilities where dental patients are

treated will need to install filters to capture dental amalgam in their drains.

Ray Watkins, Scotland's chief dental officer, has already warned all dentists

that it is " not acceptable " to dispose of amalgam with ordinary waste.

However, while the executive is ahead of the Department for Environment, Food

and Rural Affairs (Defra) in pushing legislation forward for Scotland, it is not

considering restrictions over its use in teeth.

An executive spokeswoman said: " It is considered hazardous to dispose of,

because it contains heavy metals that accumulate when they are flushed into

water, and not disposed of correctly. "

She added: " It is considered safe and effective and recommended for use as

fillings, though. All the research has shown that. "

However, Stephen Challacombe, professor of medicine at Guy's Hospital in London

and one of Britain's top dentists, who has been calling for further research

into the safety of amalgams for 10 years, said more work needs to be done. " It's

a logical extension to question whether amalgam is safe in your mouth when it is

not recommended for the environment, " he said.

Lloyd Jerome, who runs one of a growing number of mercury-free dental practices

in the UK and is based in Glasgow, said: " It is clearly double standards that

something that is seen to be toxic waste can be used in dental surgeries. "

The United Nations Environment Programme, which has concerns about the mercury

emission from dental amalgams during cremation, insists that mercury and its

compounds are " highly toxic " .

The British Dental Association said it accepted that the UK is behind other EU

countries in preventing mercury amalgam being released and said new legislation

would " up the ante " on the checks dentists would have to carry outwho may have a

sensitivity to the mercury in fillings.