The next time you go for a routine teeth cleaning, ask your dentist if they’ve installed a mercury amalgam separator. Conventional dentists typically use amalgam fillings, which contains approximately 49% mercury–one of 12 EPA defined toxins that threatens the health of people and their environment. Dentists are the third largest users of mercury in the United States. As of 2000, the U.S. EPA lists more than 43,971 miles (covering 3,426,244 acres) of rivers and streams in the U.S. as “impaired” because of the presence of mercury.
In an effort to reduce pollution, the American Dental Association created a list called: Best Management Practices for Amalgam Waste in 2005. This framework defines eleven industry standards that reduce mercury waste in medical practice. As a result, many states, including California, now require the installation, use, and maintenance of an ISO-certified amalgam separator in all dental practices. Amalgam separators remove amalgam particles from dental wastewater through sedimentation, filtration or centrifugation, or a combination of these technologies.
Studies have shown that about 54% of the amalgam mixed for placement ends up as waste. Previous waste strategies of incineration and using infectious waste “red bags” to separate amalgams from other waste resulted in either contaminated ground or surface water, or an increase in air pollutants from volatilization.
The mandatory use of amalgam separators demonstrates an ecologically sustainable medical practice that serves patients, the practitioner, and the client. The Teleosis Institute’s Green Health Care Program guides health professionals to make sustainable choices in their practice that are Good for People and the Environment!
To learn more about mercury amalgam separators or Best Management Practices visit: American Dental Association at www.ada.org
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East Bay Municipal Utility District at www.ebmud.com
It is improtant to keep the environment free of mercury that can easily be removed from the dental office waste stream with the use of these amalgam separators. The problem is that most dentists do not purchase them and use them unless it is mandated by local or state requirements. In california they are only required in select communities around the Bay Area. Most of California has no such requirement (thanks to the repeated lobbying efforts of the California Dental Association), and the vast majority of dentists in California have not installed these on a voluntary basis.
The EPA estimates that citizens of the US have approximately 1000 TONS of mercury in their mouths in the form of amalgams. These restorative materials last on average 12 years. In other words, in a 12 year period we would expect 500 TONS of mercury to be removed by dentists and flushed down the vacuum system to the sewer if not caught in these devices. This does not even consider the amount of mercury discharged by the placing of replacement amalgam filling materials.
This amalgam goes into our environment either as discharge from the sewer treatment plant or as land applied bio-solids (sludge)on farm fields. Ask your dentists if they use an a amalgam separator. If they don’t, ask them why.
Will this response be posted? Would you at least correct the inaccuracies in the original blog concerning the mandate in California?
Your message is good but for the most part the ADA and the CDA have vehemently opposed any requirements for amalgam separators and twice they have been active in quashing California legislation to require this equipment. It is only required by EBMUD, RWQCP, SFPUC and soon to be required by Union Sanitary District and Contra Costa County. All of the rest of California is voluntary.