- DO recycle in the same container as the collection canisters, depending on your recycler's specifications.
- Teeth without amalgams (hazardous waste) need proper disposal.
With amalgam separation requirements now in place, everyone should be familiar with the recycling and disposal of amalgam. Here are some do's and don'ts. We are sharing a few reminders on the proper ways to dispose and handle various amalgam collection devices.
Amalgam Do's and Don'ts Highlights
DO wear personal protective equipment. This includes items such as utility gloves, masks and protective eyewear when handling amalgam.
When disposing of amalgam, do NOT use evacuation line cleaners that contain bleach or chlorine. These chemicals maximize amalgam dissolution and contaminate wastewater.
Although amalgam is considered a hazardous waste, do NOT dispose of it any other way than through a recycler who complies with the ADA-ANSI standard. Amalgam capture done through a chair-side trap, vacuum pump filter and an amalgam separator collects amalgam particles.
PHOTO: Chair-side Trap - Collection Canister (#30-61)
Two Types of Amalgam:
- Contact Amalgam: has been in contact with the patient, such as teeth with amalgam, a carving scrap collected at chair-side, and amalgam captured by chair-side traps, filters, or screens/debris baskets.
- Non-contact Amalgam: excess material leftover at the end of a dental procedure and considered scrap.
Amalgam Recycling:
All chair-side solid collection traps, vacuum pump filters, and amalgam separators that retain amalgam DO need recycling. These items cannot be rinsed out over drains or sinks and they cannot be reused. Do NOT place in biohazard containers, infectious waste containers (red bags) or regular garbage.
Chair-side Collection Canisters
- Remove the trap and empty the contents into a wide-mouthed, airtight container marked “Contact Amalgam Waste for Recycling.”
- DO seal the container well and send to a recycler when full.
- Replace the trap into the collection canister, but do NOT rinse the trap, because this could introduce dental amalgam into the wastewater stream.
Extracted Teeth With Amalgam Restorations
Vacuum Pump Filters
- DO remove the filter and have a tightly sealed lid on the container.
- These too are sent to a recycler when the container fills up.
Amalgam Separators (ISO 11143 Compatible)
- DO recycle properly following the manufacturer's recommendations for maintenance and recycling procedures.
- See our disposal mailer options here.
Many dentists have implemented or improved their handling of amalgam since the implementation of new regulations. No matter what kind of amalgam you are disposing of, dispose of it properly without fear of office contamination. What kind of questions do you have about amalgam recycling?
Read more Amalgam Disposal Do's and Don'ts and additional resources in the Journal of the American Dental Association, the ADA Division of Science, and available to ADA members online.
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