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Forms (down-loadable)

Enforcement

King County regulations for dental 

wastewater discharged to the sewer

Dental waste program | 

Technical assistance for dentists | Useful links for dentists | 

Update your practice's contact information

The dental waste program

Dental practices that discharge mercury into the King County 

sewage system must be in compliance with the county limits 

for mercury. To demonstrate compliance a dental office can 

install an approved amalgam separator unit or sample its 

wastewater and apply for a permit to discharge. Our program 

conducts compliance inspections at dental offices on an 

ongoing basis. 

Has the installation of Amalgam Separator Units in King 

County made a difference? 

Technical assistance for dentists:

KCIW wants to help dentists join with us in keeping harmful 

pollutants out of the environment. To do this, we have 

prepared the documents and offer other technical assistance 

below: 

Learn about King County 

dental wastewater 

compliance inspections. 

What to do with your used 

amalgam waste;

What to do with your used xray fixer;

including information about 

companies that transport dental 

office waste to licensed 

treatment, storage, disposal, or 

recycling facilities (TSDRs). 

Equipment and waste management log provided as a 

resource for recordkeeping. 

Amalgam Separators Approved by King County chart:

down-loadable as either a Microsoft Word file or an Adobe 

PDF file.

Links to companies that sell King County approved 

amalgam separators.

Download:

Fact sheet with overall 

information about how to 

comply. The dental 

wastewater fact sheet

Dentists, Industrial Waste, King County Page 1 of 3

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Fees and Surcharges

Contacts and Map

Useful Links 

The Dental Wastewater Discharge Permit Application

and instructions are available to download as a Microsoft 

Word files. 

Useful links for dentists:

The final King County Dental Project report (external link)

presents data on the quantities of dental waste generated by 

dental offices in King County and documents the disposal 

methods for those wastes. It also describes the hazardous 

waste management improvements that were achieved 

through the cooperative efforts of Local Hazardous Waste 

Management Program (LHWMP) staff and the dental 

community. The report was produced by Public Health - 

Seattle & King County as part of LHWMP in King County, 

January 2005.

Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology's) Dental 

Office Best Management Practices (external link) 

Learn more about Ecology's Mercury Chemical Action 

Plan, a part of the agency's Persistent Bioaccumulative 

Toxins strategy.(external link) 

For information about laboratory accreditation in Washington 

State visit Ecology's Internet page.(external link) 

The Environmental Protection Agency's-- links for Best 

Management Practices for Dental Offices (external link) 

Naval Dental Research Institute--dental mercury 

environmental issues. (external link) 

Companies that take back unwanted pharmaceuticals: a 

list of reverse distributors that dental offices can use to 

properly dispose of expired, unused pharmaceuticals. 

Disposal to the trash and sewer are not permitted. Produced 

by the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in 

King County with Public Health - Seattle and King County.

Local Hazardous Waste Management Program (King 

County)-- Envirostars Program 

Dental practices which are in compliance with King County 

Industrial Waste regulations may well qualify for 

EnviroStars certification. EnviroStars, a service of the 

Local Hazardous Waste Management Program of King 

County, is a program that certifies businesses for their efforts 

in preventing pollution and reducing hazardous waste. 

Certified EnviroStars businesses are given a two-to-five star 

rating based on their commitment to reducing hazardous 

waste. The higher the star rating, the more proactive the 

business has been in protecting the environment.

Update your practice's contact 

Dentists, Industrial Waste, King County Page 2 of 3

http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/indwaste/dentists.htm 10/5/2007
Links to external sites do not constitute endorsements by King County. 

By visiting this and other King County web pages, 

you expressly agree to be bound by terms and conditions of the site. 

The details.

information:

Is yours a new dental office - or have you recently 

relocated your office within King County? Please contact 

the Industrial Waste Program by e-mailing: Patricia 

Magnuson(patricia.magnuson@kingcounty.gov) or by calling 

206-263-3021 or TTY: 711, and provide the following 

information: name, name of practice, address, phone, 

business e-mail. 

(Page updated 9/25/07. For further information, e-mail 

Patricia Magnuson). For address, phone and fax click on 

"Contacts and Map" left. 

 

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