Estimation of mercury emission from dental amalgam removal in South Korea : retrospective cross-sectional study
10.11149/jkaoh.2026.50.1.9
- Author:
Ha-Young CHOI
1
;
Jin-ju KWON
;
Joon SAKONG
;
Sohee KANG
Author Information
1. Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Environment and Public Health Studies, Yeungnam University, Daegu, Korea
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From:Journal of Korean Academy of Oral Health
2026;50(1):9-14
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Objectives:Dental amalgam, containing approximately 50% mercury, is removed during treatment and released into the environment via medical waste incineration or sewage. This study estimated the annual mercury emission from amalgam removal in South Korea.
Methods:Data on simple restoration removal (2014-2018) were obtained from a dental hospital’s insurance claims and the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA). Amalgam removal rates were calculated and applied to national data. The average amalgam weight was 0.2 g (50% mercury).
Results:Over 5 years, 4,668,490 amalgam restorations were removed. The estimated mercury emission was 466.84 kg total (mean 93.4±11.0 kg/year; 95% CI, 372.2–536.8 kg).
Conclusions:Approximately 93.4 kg of mercury is annually released from amalgam removal, equivalent to discarding 9-18 million mercury-containing fluorescent lamps. Despite declining amalgam use, systematic separation and disposal guidelines are urgently needed.
