On July 8, 2008, the Subcommittee on Domestic Policy held a hearing to evaluate the effectiveness of state and local regulations on dental mercury emissions into the environment.  The hearing was chaired by Rep. Dennis Kucinich.

Several witnesses made it very clear that, in spite of claims to the contrary, voluntary amalgam separator suggestions simply do not work no matter how much time and effort is put into outreach efforts. The legislators in Michigan, and especially the pending billÕs author, need to know that. The estimates of the Michigan and American Dental Associations that voluntary measures will result in 95% compliance by 2013 are wildly optimistic and out of touch with reality based on real world results thus far.  The committee members were well prepared, and were very hard on the representative of the ADA.

The video of the hearing:   http://domesticpolicy.oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=2109

The summary page, with transcripts of testimony:  http://domesticpolicy.oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=2066