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The Production, Use and Alternatives of Mercury Thermometers and Sphygmomanometer in China Z. Cao, J. Wang, Q.

Wang
Institute for Environmental Health and Relative Products Safety, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention Caozj@139.com

Contents
Overview of mercury pollution
The production of mercury medial devices The use of mercury medial devices The alternative of mercury medial devices Outlook on mercury-free medical health

Mercury pollution sources

Li he. Mercury emissions reduction, a new title of pollution prevention and control [N]. Science and Technology Daily from 2010 -05-23.

Overview of mercury control


1998

Mercury and mercuride were included on list of the first patch of toxic chemicals banned or severely restricted in China Mercury and mercuride were on the list of Categories of medical waste as chemical waste

2003

2005

Mercury thermometer and sphygmomanometers are listed on national Catalogue of Industrial Structure Adjustment 2005 as restricted item

Li he. Tough coming mercury-free health care [N]. Science and Technology Daily from 2010 -05-23 (1).

Mercury production

A history of more than 2,000 years Biggest volume of production of mercury-containing medical devices

Main exporting country of mercurycontaining medical devices


The largest population country

Export of mercury meters


Mostly export to
Southeast Asia Latin America and Africa U.S. Europe

Health Care Without Harm .The Global Movement for Mercury[R].

Mercury consumption of Thermometers and Sphygmomanometers

Health Care Without Harm .The Global Movement for Mercury[R]. Yi Rongrong. Chinese mercury consumption of device industry excesses 200 tons[N]. Science Times ,2010-01-06 (A2).

Manufacturers of mercury meters


approximately 16,000 medical devices manufacturers more than 150,000 distribution dealers manufacturers of thermometer and sphygmomanometer reach 100
the mercury thermometer and sphygmomanometer

manufacturers excess 20

Amount of medical institute

Ministry of health.China Health Statistics Yearbook 2010[EB/OL].

Report of IPEN(1)
16 hospitals of 4 Cities in China, including Beijing, Tianjin, Fenyang and Kunming. Mercury thermometers and sphygmomanometers were prevalent mercury-free thermometers were used in only 2 hospitals

http://www.chinadevelopmentbrief.org.cn/userfiles/0505.doc

Report of IPEN(2)
Both mercury and mercury-free meters were used in about of hospitals Consumers could buy mercury-free thermometers in markets. More than 55% of shops offer both mercury and mercury-free thermometers the latter is more expensive.

http://www.chinadevelopmentbrief.org.cn/userfiles/0505.doc

A local research
The loss of mercury due to mercury meters taking at least 95% of the total loss

The mainly sources of mercury-containing products and waste in hospitals.


Thermometer mercury loss 1.22g/bed Sphygmomanometer mercury loss 1.38/g bed

Wang Junling, Zhang Zengjie, Han Yuhua. Study on Pollution Emission Reduction Countermeasure about Hospital mercury-bearing Waste[J].Environmental Science and Management, 2010,35(7):1013

Mercury-free health care pilots


April, 2006 2 hospitals:
Tiantan hospital Jishuitan hospital

Carried out by MEP and U.S. EPA

Large-scale alternative of mercury thermometers and sphygmomanometers

Mercury-free health care pilots


The reclaimed broken thermometers had increased by 12.5 times The mercury for maintaining sphygmomanometers had decreased by 46% The use rate of mercury thermometers 35% and 23% The use rate of mercury sphygmomanometers 25% and 7.5%.
Multilateral cooperation in the reduction of mercury-containing equipment in medical environment [N]. China Medical Tribune, 2007,37.

Other mercury-free hospitals


Tianjin tumor hospital opened mercury-free wards

Shaoxing people hospitals in Zhejiang province actively used mercury-free thermometers and sphygmomanometers, so as to create mercuryfree hospital

Challenges for mercury-free


1. 2. Expensive price of mercury-free medical device Lag of manufacturing technique of mercury-free

medical devices
3. Limitation of the mercury-free medical devices

4.

Need of national strategy

Expensive price
The cost is the core issue. The digital thermometers are 11 times more expensive than mercury devices in China.

http://www.taobao.com

Lag of manufacturing technique


Not many types of meters
Lag behind in product quality Many key technologies and components have not been achieved localization

Limitation
Burn patients cannot take electronic
thermometer

Thermometers cannot be soaked in


disinfection solution directly

Need of national strategy


The national strategic reserve materials
Protect domestic manufacturers

Suggestions for mercury-free


1. Strengthen investigation and research, ascertain the basic data related to mercury 2. Establish the plans and regulations related to mercury products 3. To accelerate the independent innovation in Mercury-free health care, to lower the price of mercury-free medical devices 4. Strengthen the publicity and promotion of mercury hazards and alternative technologies/products

Outlook on mercury-free medical health A scientific development guideline Meet China's actual conditions We will realize mercury-free medical and health care

Thank You!

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