UK amends mercury rules: dental amalgam in NI to 2034

You may have seen headlines about “mercury fillings” disappearing. Here’s what has actually changed, and when it matters for you. On 12 November 2025, the UK made new regulations to enforce updated EU mercury rules in Northern Ireland. They take effect on Wednesday 3 December 2025 and set out how exports are policed now and how use and imports are managed in Northern Ireland through to 2034. These changes sit under the Windsor Framework, which keeps Northern Ireland aligned with certain EU product rules.

First, a quick explainer. Dental amalgam is the classic “silver” filling material. It’s a blend of metals that includes silver, tin and copper, bound with elemental mercury; roughly half of an amalgam filling is mercury by weight. Dentists have used it for more than a century because it’s strong, durable and comparatively affordable.

Why is mercury in the news now? Because the EU overhauled its Mercury Regulation in 2024 to move towards a mercury‑free market. Under Regulation (EU) 2024/1849, the EU bans the use of dental amalgam and the export of amalgam from 1 January 2025, and bans its import and manufacture from 1 July 2026, with limited medical exceptions. The law also tightens reporting and other oversight.

Northern Ireland is a special case. Under the Windsor Framework, the EU mercury rules apply there, but with a formal clarification from the European Commission. The Commission’s notice says Northern Ireland may continue to use dental amalgam for UK‑resident patients and import amalgam for that purpose until 31 December 2034, or earlier if the Minamata Convention parties agree a sooner global phase‑out date. Manufacturing in Northern Ireland still ends in 2026; exporting outside the UK remains prohibited.

So what did the UK’s new instrument actually do? It updates the Control of Mercury (Enforcement) Regulations 2017 so UK authorities can enforce the EU measures in Northern Ireland. It lists the new EU provisions as “relevant” for enforcement, confirms that customs officials can assist with policing export and (after the transition) import bans, and writes the Northern Ireland 2034 allowance into domestic enforcement rules.

Here is the timeline in plain English. From 1 January 2025, exporting dental amalgam is banned across the EU and EU dentists stop placing new amalgam except when strictly necessary for specific medical needs. From 1 July 2026, the EU ban on import and manufacture begins. In Northern Ireland, UK enforcement of these EU rules starts on 3 December 2025, but dentists may keep using amalgam for UK‑resident patients and import it for that purpose until 31 December 2034; manufacture still stops in 2026 and exporting remains off‑limits.

If you’re a patient in Northern Ireland, this means your dentist can still place an amalgam filling when they judge it clinically necessary and you live in the UK. Suppliers can continue importing amalgam into Northern Ireland for that purpose until the end of 2034, but they cannot manufacture it locally after July 2026 and cannot export it out of the UK. Expect practices to keep increasing the use of mercury‑free alternatives over this period.

If you’re in England, Scotland or Wales, there is no UK‑wide ban on using amalgam at present. Ministers told Parliament they are assessing the future of amalgam ahead of Minamata talks, while NHS guidance continues to say material choice rests with the clinician. In short, dentists can still use amalgam in Great Britain where it’s clinically justified, as services continue a gradual “phase‑down”.

There’s also an environmental piece you should know about. The EU changes don’t just phase out amalgam; they also strengthen rules on mercury emissions from crematoria and require more data on how much mercury is used. These steps sit alongside the broader push for a “zero pollution” future.

What about fillings you already have? Health bodies say there’s no need to remove sound amalgam fillings just because of mercury. Taking them out unnecessarily can damage healthy tooth tissue and briefly increase mercury vapour during removal. If a filling is failing or you have a specific medical reason, your dentist will discuss safe replacement options.

If you’re weighing up materials at your next appointment, ask your dentist to walk you through the options for your tooth: how long each material tends to last in that position, how it behaves in wet conditions, costs on the NHS or privately, and anything that matters for you personally, such as tooth grinding or future orthodontic work. That shared decision‑making is exactly what these rules expect.

One final media‑literacy note. You’ll see posts claiming “mercury fillings are banned overnight”. That is not the case in Northern Ireland, where there is a long transition to protect access to care while pollution falls. The policy aim is environmental protection under international law, not a judgement that your current filling is unsafe. If in doubt, bring questions to your dentist and use trusted sources named above.