Amalgam Waste Best Management Practices now available online

You can link to the ADA for the most current version of Best Management Practices to Mange Amalgam waste.

In 2008 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it was planning a "Study Of Pretreatment Requirement for Dental Offices."  Translation a first step toward a national mandate for amalgam separators for all dental offices.  The ADA filed comments on this proposed study arguing that a national pretreatment standard for dental offices was not needed because dentistry was already acting voluntarily to address the impact of amalgam waste from dental offices on water systems in particular and the environment at large.  The ADA noted the recent addition of amalgam separators to its best management practices as evidence of the profession's voluntary efforts to address the issue.

The EPA agreed, at least for now, that no national standard is needed and proposed a partnership between with both the ADA and the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) to promote the ADA's Best Management Practices (BMP).

The agreement is voluntary and involves mutual promotion of the ADA's BMPs.

ADS members are encourage to contact the ADS Admin office and report if you are currently using an amalgam separator in your office.  You may call the office at 800-478-4675 (outside Anchorage) or 563-3003 or e-mail send e-mail to info@akdental.org and identify the members in the office who are currently using a separator.