Post on 07-Apr-2018
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The Production, Use and Alternativesof 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 PreventionCaozj@139.com
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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
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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.
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Overview of mercury control
1998
2003
2005
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 chemicalwaste
Mercury thermometer and sphygmomano-meters are listed on national Catalogue ofIndustrial Structure Adjustment 2005 as
restricted item
Li he. Tough coming mercury-free health care [N]. Science and Technology Daily
from 2010 -05-23 (1).
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Mercury production
A history of more than 2,000 years
Biggest volume of production of
mercury-containing medical devices
The largest population country
Main exporting country of mercury-
containing medical devices
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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].
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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).
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Manufacturers of mercury meters
approximately 16,000medical devicesmanufacturers
more than 150,000 distribution dealers
manufacturers of thermometer andsphygmomanometer reach 100
the mercury thermometer and sphygmomanometermanufacturers excess 20
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Amount of medical institute
Ministry of health.China Health Statistics Yearbook 2010[EB/OL].
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Report of IPEN(1)
16 hospitals of 4 Cities in China, includingBeijing, Tianjin, Fenyang and Kunming.
Mercury thermometers and sphygmoma-
nometers were prevalent mercury-free thermometers were used in only 2
hospitals
http://www.chinadevelopmentbrief.org.cn/userfiles/0505.doc
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Report of IPEN(2)
Both mercury and mercury-free meters wereused in about of hospitals
Consumers could buy mercury-free thermo-
meters 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
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A local research
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):10-
13
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
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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
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Mercury-free health care pilots
The reclaimed broken thermometers hadincreased by 12.5 times
The mercury for maintaining sphygmomano-
meters 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.
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Other mercury-free hospitals
Tianjin tumor hospital opened mercury-freewards
Shaoxing people hospitals in Zhejiang provinceactively used mercury-free thermometers and
sphygmomanometers, so as to create mercury-
free hospital
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Challenges for mercury-free
1. Expensive price of mercury-free medical device
2. Lag of manufacturing technique of mercury-free
medical devices
3. Limitation of the mercury-free medical devices
4. Need of national strategy
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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
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Lag of manufacturing technique
Not many types of meters
Lag behind in product quality
Many key technologies and components
have not been achieved localization
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Limitation
Burn patients cannot take electronic
thermometer
Thermometers cannot be soaked in
disinfection solution directly
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Need of national strategy
The national strategic reserve materials
Protect domestic manufacturers
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Suggestions for mercury-free
1. Strengthen investigation and research, ascertainthe basic data related to mercury
2. Establish the plans and regulations related to
mercury products3. 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 ofmercury hazards and alternative technologi-
es/products
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Outlook on mercury-free medical health
A scientific development guideline
Meet China's actual conditions
We will realize mercury-free medical
and health care
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Thank You!