In new analysis by the Rivers Trust and Wildlife and Countryside Link, more than 98% of fish and mussels from English rivers and coastal waters were found to be contaminated with mercury above EU safety limits[1]. More than half of their samples contained more than five times the recommended safe level.
It is thought that mercury contamination comes from a number of sources including from wear and tear of mercury fillings washing down household drains as well as waste from dental surgeries and well air-borne pollution from crematoria emissions.
Although 43 countries globally have banned mercury dental amalgam, including an EU ban, Great Britain has not done so, although Northern Ireland is planning a ban to come into effect in 2034. A large number of environmental and health groups are supporting calls to ban dental amalgam containing mercury in Great Britain and we will be looking into this issue in more detail in 2026.
[1] Mercury fillings are taking a bite out of British wildlife and river health
