Dental Clinics

Dental amalgam is the largest source of mercury received by U.S. sewage treatment plants.

Learn how your clinic can do its part to reduce mercury in the environment and be in compliance with environmental laws.

AMALGAM

Amalgam waste includes scrap (or dry) amalgam, and amalgam sludge found in chair side traps and pump filters from wastewater treatment units. Amalgam-bearing wastes should be collected and properly managed as a hazardous waste, or recycled. Don't put amalgam waste into the garbage, down the drain, or mix it with biomedical waste. Teeth with amalgam fillings should be kept out of the garbage and biomedical waste bags. Dispose of them with other amalgam waste.

BIOMEDICAL WASTE

Biomedical waste includes items saturated with blood or bodily fluids, tissues, and sharps. Flowable blood and other bodily fluids can be put down the drain. Items such as gloves, rubber dams, and bibs that have come in contact with blood or bodily fluids aren't considered biomedical waste. They may be put into the garbage in a plastic bag.

CLEANING SOLUTIONS AND DISINFECTANTS

Disinfectants, cleaning solutions, solutions from chemiclaves, and cold sterilants may be hazardous waste depending on their ingredients and concentrations. Use the entire product or neutralize it. Don't pour excess down the drain, and never into the septic system.

FIXER AND DEVELOPER

Used x-ray fixer contains a large amount of silver. Collect used fixer and hire a vendor for disposal. Used x-ray developer is considered non-hazardous and can be poured down the drain after use. Unused developer, however, contains a toxic compound called hydroquinone. If silver recovery canisters are used, send to a permitted recycler.

LEAD WASTE

Lead is a hazardous waste. It should never be disposed of in red bags or sharps containers. Since the amount of lead in dentist foil is usually small, it can be collected for recycling. When lead aprons become unusable, they are deemed hazardous and cannot be thrown away in a dumpster.

PHARMACEUTICALS

Most pharmaceuticals are hazardous waste due to the large number of chemicals they contain. If legally possible, use up your medications. Don't accept samples unless you can use or return them. Dispose of unwanted pharmaceuticals through a hazardous waste disposal vendor.

SHARPS

Put hypodermic needles, syringes with needles attached, lancets, dental scalers, and scalpel blades in a sharps container. Dispose of the container through a biomedical waste disposal company.