The UK has signed off new rules for Northern Ireland to update how mercury controls are enforced in dentistry. The instrument implements the EU’s revised Mercury Regulation in NI under the Windsor Framework and takes effect on 3 December 2025. The change matters because dentists, suppliers and patients in NI have been living with uncertainty ahead of the EU’s phase‑out of dental amalgam.

Mercury is a powerful neurotoxin. The World Health Organization lists it among the top chemicals of public‑health concern, and dental amalgam is about 50% elemental mercury by weight. Reducing its use cuts releases to air and water across the whole life cycle.

What the EU decided is now clear. From 1 January 2025, using dental amalgam is generally prohibited in the EU except where a dentist deems it strictly necessary for specific medical needs. The EU also bans exports from 1 January 2025 and bans import and manufacturing from 1 July 2026, with limited medical‑need derogations.

Northern Ireland gets a time‑limited carve‑out agreed by the European Commission: dentists in NI may continue to use amalgam for patients who reside in the UK and may import it for that purpose until 31 December 2034, provided conditions set by the Commission are met. Amalgam exports from NI to outside the UK remain prohibited. Since 1 January 2025, NI practices must confirm a patient’s UK residence before providing amalgam.

The UK instrument updates enforcement so customs officials can help apply the new prohibitions, and it lists each relevant EU measure for compliance in NI, including reporting duties for importers and manufacturers. It also clarifies that the NI carve‑out applies only when treatment is carried out by a registered dentist or registered dental care professional for a UK‑resident patient.

For practices, practical steps come first. UK regulators already require amalgam separators that retain at least 95% of particles and proper hazardous‑waste handling. Keeping those systems in top order, tightening record‑keeping, and reviewing supply contracts will smooth the transition away from mercury‑based fillings.

For patients in Northern Ireland, access to amalgam continues for now if you live in the UK, while non‑UK residents cannot receive amalgam treatment in NI. Dentists will advise on composite or glass ionomer alternatives, which are now the default in many settings.

In Great Britain, EU export limits will still affect supply chains even though EU product bans don’t apply directly. The Environment Agency’s wider controls on mercury‑added products remain in force in England, Scotland and Wales alongside the existing UK restrictions on amalgam use introduced in 2018.

The EU changes are also part of a broader push to cut mercury emissions from crematoria by developing abatement guidance and requiring better reporting on mercury use. Brussels will review progress by the end of 2029, with further measures on the table if needed.

The climate‑health upside is tangible. The European Commission estimates that ending amalgam use removes roughly 40 tonnes of mercury demand each year in the EU-mercury that otherwise risks entering waterways, soil or the air. That shift, coupled with better waste capture in clinics, is a win for public health and river life.

Globally, momentum has caught up with the policy. Parties to the Minamata Convention agreed in Geneva on 7 November 2025 to end worldwide manufacture and trade of mercury‑added dental amalgam from 1 January 2035, effectively setting a 2034 phase‑out deadline. NI’s 2034 end‑date now aligns with that international timetable.

What to watch next: compliance and support. The European Commission will monitor NI’s use of the derogation; Northern Ireland’s Department of Health has welcomed the arrangement but stresses reporting and steady reduction remain essential. For dentists, the route through is clear-maintain separators, plan training on alternatives, and keep patients informed.