Amalgam Waste Handling Procedures
Amalgam Separators
As of July 14 , 2017 , dental practices nationwide are required to install amalgam separators . All new constructions must immediately comply , whereas existing practices will be given until July 14 , 2020 , to come into compliance . Offices that already had separators installed as of July 14 , 2017 will not be required to immediately replace their units . Rather , those offices are grandfathered in for 10 years , or the lifetime of their current units , whichever comes first .
Any separators installed must achieve at least 95 % removal efficiency and must be compliant with either :
1 ) American National Standards Institute ( ANSI ) American National Standard / American Dental Association ( ADA ) Specification 108 for Amalgam Separators with Technical Addendum
2 ) International Organization for Standardization ( ISO ) 11143 Standard
Amalgam separators are also required to be sized to accommodate the maximum discharge rate of amalgam process wastewater and separators must be inspected in accordance with the manufacturer ’ s operating manual .
There are exemptions to the final rule for some specialists , mobile dental units , and offices that do not place amalgam and only remove it in emergency situations . To determine if your office is required to install an amalgam separator , please refer to ADA ’ s website https :// success . ada . org / en / regulatory-legal / amalgam / faq-amalgam .
In addition , the EPA ’ s final rule includes the incorporation of two of ADA ’ s Best Management Practices :
• Prohibiting the flushing of waste amalgam ( including , but not limited to , amalgam from chair side traps , screens , vacuum pump filters , dental tools , cuspidors , or collection devices ) into a public owned treatment works ( POTW )
• Prohibiting the use of oxidizing or acidic cleaners ( including , but not limited to , bleach , chlorine , iodine , and peroxide that have a pH lower than 6 or greater than 8 ) to clean dental unit water lines , chair-side traps and vacuum lines that discharge into a POTW
Mercury / Alloy Powder Mixture
Dental amalgam contains a mixture of mercury and an alloy powder consisting of silver , tin , copper and zinc . When other metal alloys are added to mercury , it is considered to be a mercury compound with different chemical properties . Mercury in the form of dental amalgam is not free mercury . Consequently , amalgam waste may not exhibit any hazardous waste characteristics . Proper handling and disposal of amalgam waste is , nevertheless , very important .
Free elemental mercury is referred to as liquid , raw or bulk mercury . Its use is not recommended by either ADA or PDA ; instead , we recommend the use of precapsulated amalgam alloy . If your office does have elemental mercury , it should be recycled using a recycler who will accept mercury . Elemental mercury that is disposed of must be handled as hazardous waste .
Mercury in the form of dental amalgam is very stable . However , if amalgam waste is disposed of as regulated medical waste , or if it is discharged into the public sewer system , the mercury in the amalgam waste can be released into the environment . Medical wastes and sludge from wastewater
11 PDA Waste Management Guidelines