Public consultation on the SCHER preliminary report on
The environmental risks and indirect health effects of mercury in dental amalgam

The European Commission has requested the SCHER to prepare an opinion on the environmental risks and indirect health effects of mercury in dental amalgam. The preliminary version of the opinion can be found here

The SCHER has approved a preliminary report to provide the Commission with a sound scientific basis for developing and implementing policies on dental restoration materials. The report addresses environmental risks and indirect health effects from use of dental amalgam. The opinion takes into consideration – as far as the required information is available - all possible mercury emissions resulting from the use of dental amalgam during the products whole life cycle.

Interested parties are invited to send their comments on the preliminary opinion via the following website

A document with guidelines for submission of contributions, containing criteria for the public consultation and guidance for submission can be found here

Deadline for submission of comments: 22 February 2008

Please note that comments received after the deadline CANNOT be taken into account.

Please note that comments which do not relate to the scope of this public consultation or do not comply with the criteria for these public consultations will not be considered.

More information on SCHER and the other Scientific Committees of the European Commission can be found here.

This consultation is in line with the procedures for stakeholder dialogue published on 15 September 2007 by the European Commission's Health and Consumer Protection Directorate General