Ban on Mercury Dental Fillings Introduced in Hungary
New regulations align Hungary's laws with EU directives to phase out mercury-containing products, including dental amalgams.
A recent government decree has officially introduced a complete ban on mercury-containing products in Hungary, including dental amalgams, in alignment with European Union regulations.
This ban includes not just the use of amalgam fillings in dental treatments, but also extends to their import and manufacture, effective January 1, 2025.
The decree published in the Hungarian Official Gazette implements EU provisions regarding restrictions on the import, export, and manufacture of dental amalgam and other products containing added mercury.
This move aims to phase out mercury-containing products from human use due to health risks associated with mercury exposure.
Dental amalgam, which has been widely used in dentistry, contains significant amounts of mercury, as well as smaller quantities of other metals.
The EU regulation regarding mercury, adopted in 2017, is one of the key legislative tools transposing the Minamata Convention, an international treaty signed in 2013 aimed at protecting human health and the environment from the harmful effects of mercury.
The 2017 regulation covers the entire life cycle of mercury, from primary mining to waste disposal, and contributes to the overarching EU strategy to gradually eliminate the use, manufacture, and export of mercury and mercury-added products.
In addition to the ban on the usage of amalgam, EU member states are required to report the amount of dental amalgam used to the European Commission and to share information on measures to reduce mercury emissions from crematoria.
According to the newly published decree, the trade of dental amalgams within the EU will also be prohibited starting July 1, 2026. Manufacturers and importers will be required to report to the relevant national authorities the quantities of dental amalgam imported and manufactured in the previous calendar year.
Dental amalgams have a history of more than 100 years in use.
After extensive experimentation, the final composition and mixing proportions, which are still used today, were developed in 1896 by Dr. John Vladimar Black.
Amalgam consists of 50 percent liquid mercury and 50 percent metal powder, with at least 65 percent silver, up to 29 percent tin, up to 6 percent copper, up to 2 percent zinc, and finally, up to 3 percent mercury.
This ban includes not just the use of amalgam fillings in dental treatments, but also extends to their import and manufacture, effective January 1, 2025.
The decree published in the Hungarian Official Gazette implements EU provisions regarding restrictions on the import, export, and manufacture of dental amalgam and other products containing added mercury.
This move aims to phase out mercury-containing products from human use due to health risks associated with mercury exposure.
Dental amalgam, which has been widely used in dentistry, contains significant amounts of mercury, as well as smaller quantities of other metals.
The EU regulation regarding mercury, adopted in 2017, is one of the key legislative tools transposing the Minamata Convention, an international treaty signed in 2013 aimed at protecting human health and the environment from the harmful effects of mercury.
The 2017 regulation covers the entire life cycle of mercury, from primary mining to waste disposal, and contributes to the overarching EU strategy to gradually eliminate the use, manufacture, and export of mercury and mercury-added products.
In addition to the ban on the usage of amalgam, EU member states are required to report the amount of dental amalgam used to the European Commission and to share information on measures to reduce mercury emissions from crematoria.
According to the newly published decree, the trade of dental amalgams within the EU will also be prohibited starting July 1, 2026. Manufacturers and importers will be required to report to the relevant national authorities the quantities of dental amalgam imported and manufactured in the previous calendar year.
Dental amalgams have a history of more than 100 years in use.
After extensive experimentation, the final composition and mixing proportions, which are still used today, were developed in 1896 by Dr. John Vladimar Black.
Amalgam consists of 50 percent liquid mercury and 50 percent metal powder, with at least 65 percent silver, up to 29 percent tin, up to 6 percent copper, up to 2 percent zinc, and finally, up to 3 percent mercury.
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