Dental offices that place or remove amalgam must operate and maintain an EPA compliant amalgam separator to prevent discharges of mercury into the public wastewater system.
A new federal law was enacted in the summer of 2017 requiring dental offices to:
- Use amalgam separators
- Perform ongoing maintenance and inspection of the amalgam separators
- Follow specific ADA-recommended Best Management Practices (BMPs) for collection and disposal of amalgam and for types of cleaners to use
- Submit a one-time compliance report.
More information about these requirements:
- Dental Industrial Users & Applicability
- Requirements & Deadlines for Installation of Amalgam Separators
- EPA FAQs on the Dental Office Category Rule – Adobe PDF – 166 KB
- TCEQ – Dental Offices: Wastewater Discharge Rule
- American Dental Association (ADA) – Amalgam Separators and Waste Best Management
DISCLAIMER: Please consult the published rule and EPA’s Dental Effluent Guidelines for more information and specific details about the Dental Effluent Rule. The information in these official documents supersedes any information outlined in this summary.