Is Dental Amalgam a Mercury-added Product or Elemental Mercury?
The classification of dental amalgam is very important. If it is a product to which mercury has been added, it could be argued that dental amalgam exceeding the legal limits should be banned under CGS 22a-617. But this ban does not affect elemental mercury, because such mercury is, by definition, not a product to which mercury has been added. Commissioner McCarthy looked at the packaging of dental amalgam in deciding whether it should be considered a mercury-added product or elemental mercury. Although dentists can purchase bulk elemental mercury and the alloy mixtures separately, McCarthy said they most often purchase the amalgam in pre-packaged capsules in which the mercury and alloy powder are kept separate, but can be mixed within the capsule as needed. (She said the total amount of mercury in these capsules ranges from 327 to 982 milligrams, depending on the size of the capsule. ) On one hand, McCarthy said, these capsules could be seen as a product to which mercury is added. But
