Dental amalgam is the largest remaining intentional use of mercury in Europe, estimated at around 40 t in 2019. The consequential environmental impact has been the main reason of a global phase down in the past decades.
On 14 July, 2023, The European Council has made an official proposal to ban the use of amalgam for any dental treatment in its member states as of the 1st of January, 2025. The use of dental amalgam for children and pregnant or breastfeeding women, had already been banned in the EU since 2018, apart from a few strict exceptions. With this new legislation in sight, the need for alternative solutions is once again highlighted.