12th ANNUAL 

EPA NEW ENGLAND 

PRETREATMENT COORDINATORS WORKSHOP 

October 13=14, 2010 

Amalgam Separator Inspection 

101 

AL Dube 

SolmeteX 

a division of Layne Christensen 

508-307-9725 

adube@solmetex.com ~ ~~ :. 
Best Management Practoices 

BMPws 
Amalgam Waste 

Contact / Non-contact 

Chair-side Traps 

Vacuum Pum- p Filters 

Expended capsules 

Amalgam separator containers 
What are we talking about? 

Managing: 

Dental amalgam capsules 

Chair-side Traps 

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Vacuum pump filters 

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Liquid mercury 

Amalgam Separator ~ 
Dental Amalgam Waste Storage 

Amalgam waste "must" be stored in air-tight and leak 

proof container. (The ADA has an ADA/ANSI 

Specification for recycling amalgam waste. Much of 

the specification relates to what the recycler will 

handle, but it also addresses the nature of the 

container used in the dental office.) 
What to do. 

Labeled bucket with the date of initial 

placement of waste in the bucket. 

Container needs to be closed at all times except 

when adding or removing from the container. 

Waste container should be recycled no longer 

than one year from initial placement of waste 

in the bucket. 
Part of the BMP 

Maintain and operate the amalgam separator 

when installed according to its manufactures 

specifications. 
Recycling of Mercury 

All amalgam / mercury waste should be recycled 

Name and address of waste handler needs to 

be documented 

Name and address of inercury recycler should 

also be documented 
Retorting 

The process by which mercury is recovered from 

wastes 
Know the difference 

Mercury Recycler vs Mercury Refiners 

Mercury Recyclers Retorts Mercury wastes 

received refines the mercury to be resold 

Metals Refiner: sometimes collects Hg, however 

usually consolidates Hg to be sent to a recycler. 
Amalgam Separators? 


EPA Updatem, Hot off the press 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

September 27, 2010 

EPA Will Propose Rule to Protect Waterways by 

Reducing Mercury from Dental Offices 

Existing technology is available to capture dental 

mercury 
What is an Amalgam Separator.? 

First: The Amal am Separator name is incomplete. 

THESE ARE SOLIDS COLLECTORS 

Separate amalgam and every other solid material 

suctioned down the vacuum line. 

Second: Mercury is not the target, solids are. 
What do they do.P 

Amalgam Separators capture "Mercury" 

by default not by design 

Treat contamination at its source (P2) 

Separate suspended solid and water from air 

flow@ 

Designed to capture 99% of solids not total 

mercury 
What does that mean to you ?. 

Maybe you might want to think about getting 

your ducks in a row. 
Th'ings to th'ink about 

Start setting up protocols. 

Appears the ruling will be a Categorical Standard 

(CS) 

CS trigger mandatory inspections of dental 

offices. 
ISO 11143 Certification 

International Standards Organization 

A protocol for testing systems in a laboratory 

environment 

It is a particle standard by weight (Not mercury) 

Weigh at the start 

Weigh after drying 

Results based on a% of solids removal 

Standard to pass is 95% 

ISO Standard reissued in 2008 with not significant 

cha nges (AOA, SolmeteX on committee) 
Where to f*Ind the separator in a 

dental office 

Almost all separators will be in the same place 

as the vacuum pump. 

Most dental offices have a utility closet for 

vacuum pumps, compressors etc. 

Most office personnel will know where the 

utility closet is 
What to look for. 

Proper installation 

System should be plumbed with the incoming line from 

the dental chairs entering the system. 

The discharge from the separator should be plumbed 

to the pump or an air water separator tank. 

On rare occasion you may find a separator after an 

existing air-water separator. (Only at larger dental 

facilities) 

Its possible there may be chair-side systems, Military. 
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How do you know? 

Bring a flashlight 

Most system in New England will be clear 

For those that are not: 

Check the paper- work, certificates of recycle 

or receipt 

Frequency of change our. 
System size: Does size matter? 

Each separator has a collection capacity. 

How to know: 

Do some research: 

Clear systems you can see. 

"Black Box" systems you cannot see, therefore 

know the volume. 
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Vacuum Systems 

Wet System Dry System 
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Flow under vacuum is not the same as flow under positive pressure 

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Amalgam Separators 

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Additional Separators (Opaque) 

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How separators work 

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Installations 
Additional Installations 
A clogged system is a failed system 

In by-pass mode 

Discharging amalgam / mercury to the sewer 

Potentially shut down the vacuum system