The Swedish government has banned the use of all mercury, including dental amalgam, in the country effective June 1, according to an ADA News article.
"Such a ban is not necessary in the United States," said the ADA in a January 16 statement, the article noted.
The ADA statement points out that 80% of waste amalgam is already caught with standard equipment in dental offices, and that an increasing number of denists are now using amalgam separators, which can increase the rate up to 99%.
The Swedish government has asked the dental, chemical analysis, and chloralkali industry to use alternative techniques.
The ADA warns that dental costs will rise dramatically if such a measure were taken in the U.S., and that it could also harm dental public health programs.
