“This is an important step forward for this international agreement,” the meeting's chairman, Chile's Oscar Alvarez, told the various countries. Many countries had said they wanted to put an end to the presence of this substance in dental amalgams by 2030, in line with a proposal from African countries. But some countries were blocking this move.

Consensus was reached on a further four-year deadline. It will then be forbidden to manufacture, import or export amalgams containing this substance.

The World Health Organization (WHO) considers mercury to be one of the ten substances of greatest concern for public health. Yet only a few dozen countries have banned it in dental amalgams.

+ Clean-up finally underway at mercury pollution site

In Switzerland, the Bern-based company Batrec exports most of the mercury that leaves the country. A few years ago, it was selling 20 to 25 tonnes a year, 95% of it for dental components. When questioned by the Swiss News Agency Keystone-ATS on Friday, the company did not immediately respond.

On the other hand, the states were unable to reach agreement on whether alternatives to mercury catalysts are“economically and technically” feasible.

Translated from French by DeepL/ts

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