Author: Mudgal S, Van Long L, Mitsios A, Pahal S, De Toni A, Hylander L
Source:
Year: 2012
Comment:
This report concludes, "Based on the analysis conducted in this study, the ban on the placing on the market of mercury containing button cells in the EU emerges out as a clear winner in terms of environmental benefits, with very limited adverse economic impacts as compared with the ‘no policy change’ option."
Abstract / Excerpt:
“The health and environmental risks associated with mercury (Hg) are well known and have led the Commission to adopt an EU Mercury Strategy in 2005(1), with the aim to ‘reduce mercury levels in the environment and human exposure, especially from methylmercury in fish’. The review of the Strategy’s implementation(2), in 2010, acknowledged the progress made with regard to a number of actions proposed in 2005 such as the adoption of the Mercury Export Ban Regulation(3), the phase-out of mercury use in certain measuring devices under the REACH Regulation4, the submission of additional mercury use restriction proposals under REACH, and the EU’s contribution to the progress of international negotiations on the global mercury treaty. The review also highlighted areas for further improvement, among which the remaining uses of mercury in several applications where Hg-free alternatives exist and are already used to some extent; this concerns in particular dental amalgam and button cell batteries, which are the subject of the present study.”
Citation:
BIO Intelligence Service. Study on the potential for reducing mercury pollution from
dental amalgam and batteries. Final report prepared for the European Commission – DG ENV. 2012.