To
Union Minister
of Health & Family Welfare
Government of
India
New Delhi
Subject-Why India
should ban use of mercury based dental amalgam like EU
Sir,
This is to draw your
attention towards a recent decision by European Union to phase out usage of
mercury based dental amalgam among children and pregnant women. Taking cognizance of incontrovertible
scientific and medical evidence and given the fact that India being a signatory
to Minamata Convention against mercury pollution, there is a compelling logic
for the central and state governments to completely ban them. It is noteworthy that around 30% of approximately
50-55% of Indians who face tooth decay need dental filling at some stage. This
makes them vulnerable to exposure of highly hazardous heavy metal like mercury.
We
submit that the medical belief that the placenta protects the foetus from
toxins in the bloodstream, which is indeed the case with most chemicals have
been given a burial. In the case of methylmercury, the placenta removes it
from the mother's bloodstream and concentrates the chemical in the foetus.
Thus, the disease manifested its congenital form.
We
submit that mercury has toxic effects on the nervous, digestive and immune
systems, and on lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes. Mercury is considered by WHO as
one of the top ten chemicals or groups of chemicals of major public health
concern. People are mainly exposed to methylmercury, an organic compound, when
they eat fish and shellfish that contain the compound.
Given the fact that elemental and methylmercury are toxic to the central and peripheral nervous systems, inhalation of mercury vapour can produce harmful effects on the nervous, digestive and immune systems, lungs and kidneys, and may be fatal. The inorganic salts of mercury are corrosive to the skin, eyes and gastrointestinal tract, and may induce kidney toxicity if ingested.
We submit that neurological and behavioural disorders may be observed after inhalation, ingestion or dermal exposure of different mercury compounds. Symptoms include tremors, insomnia, memory loss, neuromuscular effects, headaches and cognitive and motor dysfunction. Mild, subclinical signs of central nervous system toxicity can be seen in workers exposed to an elemental mercury level in the air of 20 μg/m3 or more for several years. Kidney effects have been reported, ranging from increased protein in the urine to kidney failure.
Given the fact that elemental and methylmercury are toxic to the central and peripheral nervous systems, inhalation of mercury vapour can produce harmful effects on the nervous, digestive and immune systems, lungs and kidneys, and may be fatal. The inorganic salts of mercury are corrosive to the skin, eyes and gastrointestinal tract, and may induce kidney toxicity if ingested.
We submit that neurological and behavioural disorders may be observed after inhalation, ingestion or dermal exposure of different mercury compounds. Symptoms include tremors, insomnia, memory loss, neuromuscular effects, headaches and cognitive and motor dysfunction. Mild, subclinical signs of central nervous system toxicity can be seen in workers exposed to an elemental mercury level in the air of 20 μg/m3 or more for several years. Kidney effects have been reported, ranging from increased protein in the urine to kidney failure.
It is
noteworthy that Mercury is an element that cannot be destroyed; therefore,
mercury already in use can be recycled for other essential uses, with no
further need for mercury mining. Mercury use in artisanal and small-scale gold
mining is particularly hazardous, and health effects on vulnerable populations
are significant. Non-mercury (non-cyanide) gold-extraction techniques need to
be promoted and implemented, and where mercury is still used safer work
practices need to be employed to prevent exposure.
We
submit that the adoption of UN's Minamata Convention on Mercury to protect
human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of
mercury and mercury compounds is relevant with regard to mercury based dental
amalgam. Mercury is a persistent pollutant.
It
persistence can gauged from the fact that addition of even 0.9 grams of
mercury, that is, one minuscule fraction (1/70th) of a teaspoon is enough to
contaminate a 25-acre lake, rendering fish contaminated and unsafe to eat. The
maximum contaminant level for mercury in drinking water is 2μg/L ( .000002
g/L). [1 g = 1,000,000 μg].
It is
noteworthy that just one drop of mercury can poison enough water to fill 10 big
tanker trucks which has 89,000 gallons of water. (1 gallon = 3.8 liters). Exposure
to mercury – even small amounts – may cause serious health problems, and is a
threat to the development of the child in utero and early in life.
The UN
treaty opened for signature by countries on 10 October 2013, at a Diplomatic
Conference in Kumamoto, Japan. The continued release of mercury into the
environment from human activity, the presence of mercury in the food chain, and
the demonstrated adverse effects on humans made the governments to agree to the
Minamata Convention on Mercury. The Convention obliges government Parties to
take a range of actions, including mercury emissions to air and to phase-out
certain mercury-containing products.
We submit that a teaspoon of mercury and a teaspoon of water are of
the same volume but not the same weight. Density of Mercury is 13.534 g/cm3.
There is about 20 drops per cm3. It is not realized as yet that just 1 teaspoon
of mercury can poison all the water a family of 4 would use in 63 years.
The
treaty got its name from Minamata a city in Japan where Chisso Corporation
opened a chemical factory in 1908. The chemical reaction used to produce the
acetaldehyde used mercury sulfate as a catalyst. A side reaction of the catalytic
cycle led to the production of a small amount of an organic mercury compound,
namely methylmercury. This highly toxic compound was released into Minamata Bay
from the start of production in 1932 until 1968, when this production method
was discontinued. Local public health office in the city discovered an
"epidemic of an unknown disease of the central nervous system" in
1956. The city government formed the Strange Disease Countermeasures Committee.
The disease later became known as Minamata disease. From around 1950 onward,
cats had been seen to have convulsions, go mad and die. Crows had fallen from
the sky, seaweed no longer grew on the sea bed and fish floated dead on the
surface of the sea. On November 12, 1959, the Ministry of Health and Welfare's
Minamata Food Poisoning Subcommittee published its results sating
"Minamata disease is a poisoning disease that affects mainly the central
nervous system and is caused by the consumption of large quantities of fish and
shellfish living in Minamata Bay and its surroundings, the major causative
agent being some sort of organic mercury compound." Some 2,265 victims
have been officially certified of Minamata disease of which some 1,784 of have
died and over 10,000 people have received financial compensation till 2001 from
Chisso Corporation in Japan.
We submit that Government of India should initiate a program to phase
out use of non-essential mercury-containing products and implement safe
handling, use and disposal of remaining mercury-containing products. Mercury is
contained in many products, including batteries, measuring devices, such as
thermometers and barometers, electric switches and relays in equipment, lamps
(including some types of light bulbs), dental amalgam (for dental fillings),
skin-lightening products and other cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
World
Health Organization has been providing guidance on identifying populations at
risk from mercury exposure, tools to reduce mercury exposure, and guidance on
the replacement of mercury-containing thermometers and blood pressure measuring
devices in health care. It is
promoting the sound management and disposal of health-care waste and has
facilitated the development of an affordable, validated, non-mercury-containing
blood pressure measuring device.
We submit that so far regulatory agencies in India have failed to protect the food chain from the criminal poisoning seem to waiting for a formal announcement of Minamata like disaster to react.
In view of the above, we urge you to ban use of mercury based dental amalgam in India to safeguard public health of present and future generations.
We submit that so far regulatory agencies in India have failed to protect the food chain from the criminal poisoning seem to waiting for a formal announcement of Minamata like disaster to react.
In view of the above, we urge you to ban use of mercury based dental amalgam in India to safeguard public health of present and future generations.
Warm regards
Dr Gopal Krishna
ToxicsWatch Alliance
(TWA)
Mb: 08227816731,
09818089660
E-mail-1715krishna@gmail.com
Web: toxicswatch.org
+ comments + 3 comments
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What is the update to this letter? Are they banned in India now? Do we have safe technologies to take these out?
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