What is the Minamata Convention?

The Minamata Convention on Mercury is a global treaty that protects human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury.

September 4th, 2024

The Convention was adopted on October 10, 2013, in Kumamoto, Japan, and is named after Minamata, a city in Japan where severe mercury poisoning occurred in the mid-20th century. The Minamata Convention aims to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds.

Here are the key points about the Minamata Convention:

• Mercury Supply Sources and Trade: The Convention regulates the supply and trade of mercury to reduce its availability.
• Mercury-Added Products: It phases out or reduces the use of mercury in certain products by 2020, such as thermometers, blood pressure devices, batteries, and some cosmetics.
• Manufacturing Processes: Limits the use of mercury in manufacturing processes, particularly in the chlor-alkali industry.
• Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining: Implements measures to reduce and, where feasible, eliminate the use of mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining.
• Emissions and Releases: Controls and reduces mercury emissions and releases from industrial sources like coal-fired power plants, industrial boilers, and waste incineration.
• Storage and Waste Management: Ensures the environmentally sound storage and disposal of mercury and mercury-containing waste.
• Health Aspects: This convention encourages measures to protect human health, especially for vulnerable populations such as pregnant women, infants, and workers in specific industries.

The Minamata Convention on Mercury represents a significant international effort to tackle the global issue of mercury pollution. The Convention aims to create a healthier and more sustainable environment for current and future generations by reducing mercury emissions and promoting safer alternatives.

Read the full article on The Minamata Convention. 

In November of 2022, The Dental Board of Australia (AHPRA) released a position statement  ‘Dental practitioners and students and the Minamata Convention on Mercury’ on new measures to phase-down the use of dental amalgam.

Australia ratified the convention on 7 December 2021 and is legally bound to both the treaty obligations and decisions of the Conference of the Parties (COP). The convention entered into force for Australia on 7 March 2022.

The COP is the convention’s governing body, with decisions made by consensus at COP meetings, which occur every two years.

At the fourth COP (COP4), held in Indonesia on 21-25 Mach 2022, new phase-down actions for dental amalgam, in addition to the existing requirements, were agreed to.

The new measures agreed at COP4 require Australia to take appropriate measures to phase-down the use of mercury in dental amalgam. In particular, Australia is required to take action to ensure:

• Mercury in bulk form must not be used by dental practitioners, and
• The use of dental amalgam for the dental treatment of deciduous teeth, of patients under 15 years, and of pregnant and breastfeeding women is not recommended, except when considered necessary by the dental practitioner based on the patient’s needs.

Dental practitioners and students are referred to further details about the convention at www.mercuryconvention.org/en.

At Gold Coast Holistic Dental Care, we can support you with your health goals. We offer a range of professional, holistic, and integrative health services to identify, prevent, and eliminate the root causes of disease and toxins.

We live in a world filled with chemicals and poisons. Compared to a century ago, these man-made chemicals have become much more prevalent—they’re in our water, soil, food, air, and nearly everything we touch. We bathe with products laced with chemicals, use them to shave, to smell good, to soften our skin, to treat blemishes, and more.

We contract viruses and parasites from our food and our surroundings that take up residence in our bodies. We accumulate these toxins every day as we consume products that include mercury, lead and other deadly heavy metals.

We offer an extensive range of holistic practices and services. These include general dental services, safe amalgam removal, acupuncture, massage, infrared sauna treatment, dry needling, naturopathy, and Osteopathy.

If you are interested in any of the services offered at Gold Coast Holistic Dental Care, contact our team at (07)5644 6000. Alternatively, book an appointment online today!