Participants of a consultative workshop on `Mercury Dental Amalgam use and its impact on environment' has agreed on the preparation of guidelines for the use of mercury amalgam in consultation with the stakeholders. The workshop was arranged by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in collaboration with Sustainable Development Policy Institute Joint Stakeholders here on Wednesday at Wildlife Hall.
The title of the workshop was "Mercury Dental Amalgam use in KP and its impacts on Health and Environment". Large number of stakeholders from government departments, dental teaching hospitals, regulatory authority, non-governmental organisations, officials of EPA and SDPI and Journalists attended the meeting. Mushtaq Jadoon, Secretary Health. KP was chief guest at that occasion. The purpose of the workshop was the creation of awareness to reduce the usages of Mercury which is the third hazardous substance and getting feedback of stakeholders including recommendation, through discussion on this issue.
Speaking on the occasion, Mushtaq Jadoon appreciated the struggle of EPA and SDPI for creating awareness of employing mercury amalgam for dental health care. He directed the EPA for conducting research on the subject in collaboration with other stakeholders. He said that the research study will be submitted to the provincial govt as pilot study.
Earlier, Dr Bashir Khan, Director General EPA highlighted that Mercury has been ranked as the third most hazardous substance and is fast emerging as global issue of grave concern, leading to global negotiations among representatives of national governments and finally enacting "Minamata Convention on Mercury" which has already been signed by Pakistan and many other countries in Asia.
The main objective of the convention is to reduce mercury use, including in dental amalgam, and control its emission and release by 2020 for safeguarding public health and provide environmental protection, he added. Dr Mahmood A. Khwaja, Senior Advisor Chemical and SID described that dental sites (dental teaching institutions, dental clinics and hospitals) employing mercury amalgam for dental health care have high levels of mercury vapours both indoor and outdoor air.
Comments
Comments are closed.