Dental amalgam controversy of discarded mercury and dental amalgam a mere 0.56 percent". Mercury is an environmental contaminant and the WHO, OSHA, and NIOSH have established specific occupational exposure limits. Mercury imposes health risks upon the surrounding population. In economics, this pollution is considered an external cost not factored into the private costs of using mercury-based products. Environmental risks from amalgam can be mitigated by amalgam separators and the ISO has issued standards regarding the proper handling and disposal of amalgam waste. It should be noted, however, that mercury is a naturally occurring element that is present throughout the environment and the vast
Dental amalgam controversy expansion and contraction of the various amalgam products. During the American Civil War, the debate on the merits of amalgam continued. In dental meetings, with now decades of use and dental research came the recognition of the importance of good technique and proper mixture on long-term success. It was argued that, "the fault was not in the material but in the manipulation...Some men's amalgam is good universally, and some men's gold is bad universally; the difference lies in the preparation of the tooth and in the plug (filling)." More controversy came in 1872, when an amalgam filling was reported as