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Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Best Management Practices for Mercury Amalgam

Introduction

The following best management practices (BMP’s) replace the October 23, 2003 BMP’s for mercury

amalgam and are intended to help dental practitioners comply with the requirements of Sections

22a-616(d) and 22a-622 of the Connecticut General Statutes (CGS) concerning the management of

amalgam. In addition to these mercury amalgam BMP’s, dental offices should be familiar with the

document entitled The Environmentally Responsible Dental Office: A Guide to Proper Waste

Management in Connecticut Dental Offices. This guidance document addresses general environmental

waste disposal issues routinely encountered by dental offices.

BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

a. Amalgam substitutes should be used in dental practices in cases where they are appropriate as

determined by the dental professional when determining the best treatment option for the

patient.

b. Each dental office shall make available to patients information about mercury-amalgam fillings

and possible alternatives. At a minimum, the brochure Fillings: The Choices You Have, Mercury

Amalgam and Other Filling Materials shall be displayed and remain prominently displayed in

each office. This brochure is available on the Department website at www.ct.gov/dep or by

calling the Department’s Mercury Hotline at 1-877-537-2488.

c. Single use amalgam capsules should be used in dental practices. Any dental practice using

mercury in the formulation of amalgam fillings shall maintain a mercury spill kit on site and

train all technical and medical staff on mercury spill clean-up response procedures.

d. Spilled amalgam must be swept up immediately and placed into an amalgam container. Any

mercury spill should be cleaned up in accordance with proper procedures which can be found

on the DEP website at: www.ct.gov/dep or the EPA website at:

http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/index.htm.

e. Empty amalgam capsules (after mixing amalgam), that contain no visible amalgam, should be

disposed of as a solid waste.

f. All contact and non-contact scrap amalgam should be salvaged and stored in separate

containers. The containers should be structurally sound and labeled as to the contents

(example – Hazardous Waste: Contact Amalgam). The containers should be tightly closed

except when adding or removing scrap amalgam. The contents of such containers should be

recycled and shall be processed through an amalgam recycler or a licensed hazardous waste

transporter. Contact and non-contact scrap amalgam shall not be disposed of in the trash or

into sinks or drains.

g. If the amalgam is stored under water, then the water may not be poured down the drain or in

the trash. The water must be collected and managed by an amalgam recycler or licensed

hazardous waste transporter.

h. Amalgam separation units must be installed and maintained, and records kept, as described

below, for any dental practice that discharges mercury amalgam (e.g. from chair-side sinks,

vacuum systems, etc.).

1. Type/installation of amalgam separators:

a. Amalgam separation units shall at all times meet the ISO 11143

standard of a minimum of 95% mercury removal.
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b. The separator should be installed centrally so that wastewater from all

suction lines pass through it.

c. Amalgam separators must be operational at all times when dental

procedures are being performed.

2. Maintenance:

a. Spent amalgam collection boxes or cartridges should be recycled

whenever possible.

b. The separator should be inspected and collection boxes or cartridges

changed in accordance with manufacturer specifications.

c. Chair-side traps should be inspected and maintained in accordance with

manufacturer specifications. Use traps with the smallest screen size

your vendor says will work. One time use amalgam traps are

preferable to reusable traps due to the difficulty in effectively

removing amalgam particles from the trap without spilling them into

the trash or down the drain.

d. All contact amalgam captured by chair-side traps, filters, or screens

shall be managed through an amalgam recycler or a licensed

hazardous waste transporter. Contact amalgam shall not be disposed of

in the trash or into sinks or drains.

e. When plumbing parts are removed or cleaned, the sludge inside the

piping should be inspected for the presence of mercury amalgam. If

amalgam is present, it should be removed and managed along with

other amalgam waste.

f. When cleaning wastewater pipes or vacuum lines, it is extremely

important to use proper line cleaning solutions to maintain the proper

functioning of amalgam separators. Clean wastewater pipes or vacuum

lines with non-oxidizing/biodegradable (non-bleach or non-chlorine

containing) cleaners to minimize the dissolution of amalgam.

3. Records:

a. Records of amalgam separator and chair-side trap installation, maintenance and

servicing records shall be maintained on site.

b. Such records should include, at a minimum:

Date of installation;

Date of each inspection/service of each separator/trap

A clear indication of which separator/trap is being serviced;

Description of routine and non-routine maintenance activities

conducted;

Records and receipts of all contact and non-contact amalgam

sent to recycling or disposal facilities; and

Signature of person conducting the activity.

c. A dental office shall make such records available to the commissioner or his/her

designated agent upon request.

Adopted on this 11th day of January, /s/ GINA McCARTHY
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2006

Commissioner

Content Last Updated on December 15, 2006