An Act To Require the Installation of Dental Amalgam Separator Systems in Dental Offices
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 0697
Committee: Natural Resources
Sponsors: COWGER, MARTIN, ANNIS, DAIGLE, HUTTON, KOFFMAN, SA VIELLO, THOMPSON, TWOMEY, EDMONDS
Amends: 38 MRSA §1667

Legislative Document 
No. 697 
H.P.514 
House of Representatives, February 14,2003 
An Act To Require the Installation of Dental Amalgam Separator 
Systems in Dental Offices 
Reference to the Committee on Natural Resources suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative COWGER of Hallowell. 
Cosponsored by Senator MARTIN of Aroostook and 
17/~ 
/?1.1ibc~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: ANNIS of Dover-Foxcroft, DAIGLE of Arundel, HUTTON of Bowdoinham, 
KOFFMAN of Bar Harbor, SA VIELLO of Wilton, THOMPSON of China, TWOMEY of 
Biddeford, Senator: EDMONDS of Cumberland. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 38 MRS A §1661, sub-§§I-A and I-B are enacted to read: 
I-A. 
Amalgam separator system. 
"Amalgam separator system" 
means a device that removes dental amalgam from the waste stream 
prior to its discharge into the local wastewater disposal system 
and 
that 
meets 
the 
standards 
published 
by 
an 
international 
organization 
for 
standardization that 
are 
in effect 
on 
the 
effective date of this subsection. 
I-B. 
Dental amalgam. 
"Dental amalgam" means a mixture of 
silver and mercury used to restore dental integrity. 
Sec. 2. 38 MRSA §1667, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 779, §2, 
1S 
repealed and the following enacted in its place: 
§I667. Dental procedures 
1. 
Prevention plan. 
By July 15, 2002, the department shall 
work with dentists and other interested parties to develop a 
pollution prevention plan for mercury from dental procedures that 
provides for reasonable measures to reduce mercury pollution from 
dental procedures and related sources. 
The plan must include 
options and strategies for implementing source reduction. 
2. 
Dental office defined. 
For purposes of this section, 
"dental office" means any dental clinic, dental office or dental 
practice, 
but 
does 
not 
include 
the 
practice 
of 
oral 
and 
maxillofacial surgery. 
3. 
Amalgam 
separator 
system 
required. 
No 
later 
than 
December 
31, 
2004, 
a 
dental office that, 
in the 
course 
of 
treating its patients, adds, removes or modifies dental amalgam 
must install an amalgam separator system in the wastewater line 
in accordance with the following: 
A. 
Wastewater containing dental amalgam particles must pass 
through the amalgam separator system prior to discharge to 
either a publicly owned treatment works or a private septic 
or 
waste 
disposal 
system, 
and 
waste 
containing 
dental 
amalgam must be collected from the amalgam separator system 
and disposed of in a manner satisfactory to the department; 
B. 
Once the amalgam separator system has been installed, 
the dental office must notify the department in writing: 
{I} 
Of the type of system installed; 
Page l-LR1054(1) 
(2) 
That 
the 
system 
is certified as 
meeting 
the 
standards 
required In accordance with section 1661, 
subsection I-A; 
( 3 ) 
Of 
the 
date 
upon 
which 
the 
system 
became 
operational; and 
( 4) 
Of the method of disposing of the material after 
removal from the separator system. 
If the amalgam separator system is connected to a publicly 
owned treatment works, the dental office shall provide the 
same notification to the director or chief engineer of that 
facility. 
C. 
Installation, operation and maintenance of an approved 
amalgam separator system by a dentist in accordance with 
manufacturer's recommendations must fulfill the requirements 
of this section. 
D. 
The department, after receiving proper notification of 
the installation of the amalgam separator system and after 
being satisfied that it meets 
the 
requirements 
of this 
section must provide the dentist or the dental practice with 
written confirmation of receipt of evidence of compliance 
wi th this section in a format sui table for display by the 
dental office. 
Sec. 3. 
Standards. 
Statutes, 
Title 
38, 
section 
purposes 
of 
the 
1661, 
subsection 
Maine 
I-A, 
Revised 
amalgam 
separator 
systems 
must 
meet 
the 
standards 
contained 
in 
.. ISO-1l14: 1999, Dental Equipment -
Amalgam Separators," published 
by 
the 
International Organization 
for 
Standardization 
and 
in 
effect on the effective date of this Act. 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires the installation of amalgam separator 
systems 
in dental offices that add, 
remove or modify dental 
amalgam. 
These systems must comply with the standards of the 
International Organization for Standardization, 
ISO 11143: 1999. 
Dentists must notify the Department of Environmental Protection 
of their installations and must also notify the director or chief 
engineer of a publicly owned treatment works if their wastewater 
is discharged into a publicly owned treatment works. 
Dentists 
need not comply with these requirements until December 31, 2004.