It has real consequences for public health, environmental safety, and trust in federal regulation. Mercury’s Journey From Dental Chairs to Alabama EnvironmentEvery year, dental offices in Alabama and the U.S. discharge more than five tons of mercury into public wastewater systems. It is the direct result of installing mercury amalgam fillings, removing old ones, and polishing restorations. Yet, those same vulnerable populations are often offered mercury fillings with minimal warning and little discussion of alternatives. Ending the FDA’s approval of mercury dental fillings would be a meaningful and reasonable step forward toward this goal.