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Programs 

State Mercury Medical/Dental Waste Programs 

Medical facilities, because of the large variety of uses for 

mercury-containing equipment/items, have an increased 

responsibility for proper disposal and treatment of their 

mercury waste. One goal of medical mercury management 

programs is to replace mercury-containing devices with 

mercury-free alternatives. Currently, various states have 

proposed or enacted legislation or established voluntary 

programs focusing on mercury in medical facilities. There also 

are national and state organizations that promote mercury 

management and reduction strategies such as identifying and 

purchasing alternative products and materials with less or no 

mercury, recycling mercury and mercury-containing products 

and devices, and training. 

Many states also are undertaking both regulatory and nonregulatory activities to ensure proper management of mercury-containing dental amalgam. 

For instance, various states have proposed or enacted legislation as well as set up voluntary 

programs that address the use and management of dental amalgam. In addition, some 

federal and national organizations have developed outreach materials to provide information 

exchange, training, and general education for the public and dental professionals. 

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Summary Table of State Mercury Medical/Dental Waste Programs 

State Name Laws and 

Regulations 

Regarding 

Mercury Amalgam

Use 

Guidance on 

Mercury Waste in 

Hospitals and 

Healthcare 

Facilities 

Guidance on 

Mercury Waste in 

Dental Practices 

Alabama 

Arizona 

California 

Mercury 

Last updated on Monday, September 24th, 2007.

http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/mercury/medical.htm

State Mercury Medical/Dental Waste Programs | Safe Mercury Management | Wastes | EPA Page 1 of 6

http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/mercury/medical.htm 10/5/2007
Colorado 

Connecticut 

District of 

Columbia 

Florida 

Georgia 

Illinois 

Indiana 

Kentucky 

Maine 

Massachusetts 

Michigan 

Minnesota 

Montana 

New Hampshire 

New York 

Ohio 

Oregon 

Vermont 

Virginia 

Washington 

Wisconsin 

 

State Mercury Medical/Dental Waste Programs | Safe Mercury Management | Wastes | EPA Page 2 of 6

http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/mercury/medical.htm 10/5/2007
Alabama

HB 495: Mercury Amalgam Filling: Search under Bills for Status in 2004 Regular Session 

HB 665 (LS: 04): Would require dentists to provide information about mercury or mercury

amalgam to patients: Search under Bills for Status in 2004 

Arizona

HB 2467: Mercury Amalgam Fillings

California

Guide to Mercury Assessment and Elimination in Healthcare Facilities (PDF) (79 pp., 458 KB) 

California Pollution Prevention for Dental Offices

AB 966 (LS: 05): Would establish standards related to amalgam in dental and related

services

AB 999 (LS: 03): Sets insurance requirements for alternatives to mercury amalgam fillings

Colorado

HB 97-1187: Prohibits use of mercury amalgam

Connecticut

Best Management Practice for Dental Offices Waste Handling in Connecticut

HB 5713 (LS: 05): Would require dental benefits to cover non-mercury fillings

District of Columbia

Guide for Proper Management of Amalgam Waste in the Dental Office

Florida

Best Management Practices for Mercury in Medical Facilities and Mercury in Dental Offices

Best Management Practices for Scrap Dental Amalgam

Georgia

HB 442 (LS: 03): Would prohibit the use of mercury amalgam fillings in a certain populous. 

Illinois

SB 455 (LS: 93rd GA): Prohibits use of mercury amalgam under certain circumstances Go to 

SB 455 

Indiana

State Mercury Medical/Dental Waste Programs | Safe Mercury Management | Wastes | EPA Page 3 of 6

http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/mercury/medical.htm 10/5/2007
Compliance and Technical Assistance Program: Hospital Advisory Group

Kentucky

SB 141 (LS: 04): Relating to mercury contained in immunizations and dental restorations

Maine

Mercury Management in the Health Care Environment

Medical Pollution Prevention Agreement Program

Release of Mercury from Consumer Products: Medical Legislation

Health Effects of Mercury Fillings Legislation/Medical Legislation (PDF) (1 pg., 6 KB) 

Mercury in Dental Fillings Brochure

LD 697: Requires the installation of dental amalgam separator systems in dental office

LD 1409: Requires dentists to inform patients of the health effects of mercury fillings

LD 1327 (LS: 122nd): Would prohibit the use of mercury fillings

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection's Dental Amalgam Mercury Recycling

Program

PPIS Hospital Project Description 

Dental Elemental Mercury Collection Program

Michigan

SB 0094: Elimination of use of mercury in hospitals

Minnesota

Great Lakes Dental Mercury Reduction Program

Mercury Amalgam Recovery Program

HF 0661 & SF 0641 (LS: 05): Would require the removal of mercury amalgam restorations 

prior to cremation of human corpses and installation of amalgam separators in dental offices

Montana

HB 665 (LS: 05): Comprehensive mercury bill, which would require amalgam separators in

dental offices

New Hampshire

State Mercury Medical/Dental Waste Programs | Safe Mercury Management | Wastes | EPA Page 4 of 6

http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/mercury/medical.htm 10/5/2007
HB 1251: Mercury Fillings: Medical Legislation

New York

Reducing Mercury Use in Health Care 

Mercury Pollution Prevention Education Project

Mercury and Dental Amalgam Recyclers

New York Requirements for Recycling Dental Amalgam

Chapter 506: Recycling Dental Amalgam

Ohio

Mercury Challenge Medical Program

Mercury Challenge Handbook Medical Programs (PDF) (33 pp., 101 KB) 

Oregon

SB 681: Prohibits use of dental materials containing mercury after July 1, 2007

SB 695: Directs Department of Human Services to conduct a study of mercury amalgam

fillings in human teeth and environmental sources of mercury ingestion

Vermont

Mercury Education and Reduction Campaign 

Virginia

Dental Mercury Collection Program Description

SB 187 (LS: 05): Would require the Board of Dentistry to promulgate regulations for the

appropriate and safe use of dental amalgams containing mercury

Washington

Amalgam Waste

Amalgam Separators

Amalgam Separators approved by King County

Mercury Dental Amalgam Program (PDF) (19 pp., 327 KB) 

A Guide for Dental Programs (PDF) (8 pp., 76 KB) 

HB 1273 & SB 5066 (LS: 03): Would require informed consent prior to using mercury 

amalgam dental restorative material

State Mercury Medical/Dental Waste Programs | Safe Mercury Management | Wastes | EPA Page 5 of 6

http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/mercury/medical.htm 10/5/2007
Wisconsin 

Medical Mercury Reduction

Dental Mercury Reduction

Additional Medical Resources

The American Medical Association (AMA) Mercury and Fish Consumption: Medical and 

Public Health Issues report summarizes the key findings of the April 2004 Conference on 

Mercury: Medical and Public Health Issues, co-sponsored by EPA and the U.S. Department of 

Health and Human Services. 

Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E) provides health-care facilities with valuable 

information about mercury and how to eliminate its use. 

Health Care Without Harm is an international coalition of hospitals and health care 

systems, medical professionals, community groups, health-affected constituencies, labor 

unions, environmental and environmental health organizations and religious groups. One of 

their goals is to phase out the use of mercury in all aspects of the health care industry. 

Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA)/Medical Academic and 

Scientific Community Organization, Inc. (MASCO) - Mercury Work Group

To address complex mercury issues, the MWRA established a Mercury Work Group to 

examine the issues and to develop strategies to reduce the amount of mercury being 

discharged into its sewer system. Hospital participation in this process was coordinated 

through MASCO (a not-for-profit provider of services and technical assistance to Longwood 

Medical and Academic Area institutions), and involved the active participation of 28 hospitals. 

University of Massachusetts - Sustainable Hospital Project Web Site provides 

technical support to the health care industry by listing and describing current products and 

work practices that reduce occupational and environmental hazards in the health care 

environment. 

Additional Dental Resources

The American Dental Association (ADA) is the professional association of dentists 

committed to the public’s oral health, ethics, science and professional advancement. In 

September 2005, ADA released Best Management Practices for Amalgam Waste, which 

establishes ADA guidelines for recycling amalgam. 

The Naval Institute For Dental and Biomedical Research is the lead agency in a Navywide program developing and evaluating existing and emerging technologies for removal of 

mercury from dental unit wastewater streams. 

Amalgam Separation Technologies 

Links to publications on removal technologies of mercury from dental-unit wastewater 

State Mercury Medical/Dental Waste Programs | Safe Mercury Management | Wastes | EPA Page 6 of 6

http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/mercury/medical.htm 10/5/2007