Group calls for safer disposal of mercury in hospitals

      By:Ric Clet

Ban Toxics renewed its calls for better storage and disposal of mercury-containing devices in hospitals and other health care facilities, following the recent mercury-spill incident at Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila.

“We are deeply saddened by this incident, and especially that it happened in a maternity and newborn maternity hospital as big as Fabella,” said Atty. Richard Gutierrez, executive director of Ban Toxics.

“It’s not enough that we phase out mercury in hospitals, we should device a plan and create a mercury storage facility that is safe and away from the people.”

While the Department of Health (DOH) has been working to phase out mercury-containing medical devices since 2008, a systematic mercury disposal and storage system is yet to be implemented.

Fabella was one of the hospitals that implemented the ban, but the mercury-containing devices were kept in the supply room while awaiting collection and disposal by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

At present, the country is yet to have a national collection and storage plan for discarded mercury and mercury-containing devices.

News reports said the spill happened last Thursday after 18 vials of mercury amalgam broke in the supply room of the hospital. Although the DOH said the supply room is separate from the hospital, Fabella moved 40 patients from the pediatric ward, which lies adjacent to the supply room.

The DOH is now closely monitoring 30 individuals who came in close contact with the spill, including the personnel who first discovered the incident.

“We call on the government to act in a concerted manner with regard to its approach on mercury,” Gutierrez added.

For their part, Ban Toxics is now working on a national collection and storage of mercury, which aims to have a centralized, knowledge-based and sustainable approach in collecting, storing and eventual disposal of mercury.

“We have to act quickly. Mercury is a very poisonous and lethal when it comes in contact with people, especially infants and children,” said Gutierrez.

“The government should act immediately to stop importation of the toxic metal, pursue strong customs checks, phase mercury out of dental clinics, and provide capacity building to LGUs so they can handle the mercury issues in their jurisdictions,” he added.

Mercury is a heavy metal occurring in several forms, all of which can cause toxic effects to humans, plants and animals.

Poisoning can result from vapor inhalation, ingestion, injection, or absorption of mercury through the skin.

Symptoms include sensory impairment, disturbed sensation and lack of coordination. It can cause permanent neurological, gastrointestinal, and renal damage, as well as cancer and several other diseases, including acrodynia, Hunter-Russell syndrome, Parkinson’s disease, and Minamata disease.

Founded in 2006, Ban Toxics! (BT) is an independent, non-profit organization that is devoted to preventing toxic-trade and upholding the rights of developing countries to environmental environmental and social justice. Working closely with government agencies, partner communities and other NGOs in both the local and international levels, BAN Toxics endeavors to reduce and eliminate the use of harmful toxins through education campaigns, training and awareness-raising, and policy-building and advocacy programs.