As a medical professional, you likely already know a bit about mercury and its use in medical products, specifically dental fillings. Because mercury is a potent neurotoxin, proper disposal regulations are in place in order to keep the substance from contaminating air, water, and the rest of Earth's environment.

Mercury in Dental Facilities

Did you know that dental clinics are the primary resource of mercury discharges to public treatment works? Mercury is present in the amalgam that is used for dental fillings, which are used or removed by over 100,000 dental offices within the United States as estimated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). When old, mercury-containing dental fillings are drilled out and the amalgam and waste materials are flushed in the chair-side drains of dental offices, mercury enters into the wastewater stream and makes its way to treatment facilities. Most of the mercury that is discharged via wastewater is released into the environment.

How New Regulations are Helping

The EPA is in charge of making regulations and changing compliance standards in order to protect the environment and do their part to keep harmful elements like mercury from being disposed of improperly. Dental offices are required to comply with these established rules and regulations for proper handling and disposal of their wastes to keep mercury from polluting the environment. Amalgam separators were created to remove the particles containing mercury from wastewater in dental offices to reduce the amount of amalgam that enters sewage systems. These devices use a combination of filtration, sedimentation, centrifugation, and sometimes ion exchange technology to remove the mercury from wastewater.

The EPA's Final Rule on Amalgam Waste Management

The final rule for amalgam separators and their presence in dental facilities nationwide requires them to be compliant and achieve at least 95% removal efficiency. This rule became effective on July 14, 2017 and dental offices around the country have until July 14, 2020 to be fully compliant with this ruling. The compliant amalgam separators must be installed and properly maintained and monitored. One-time compliance reports must be filed within 90 days of installation.

Efficient Dental Waste Removal and Management in Maryland

If your dental office needs assistance with the proper removal and management of amalgam wastes in order to ensure compliance with EPA regulations in 2020, BWS, Inc. is here to help. With our expert understanding of the laws and regulations involving dental waste, we can provide you with the best amalgam waste removal equipment and solutions that your business needs to be and stay compliant with these regulations. For more information about compliant amalgam separators we offer, click here or call us for a free quote.

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