Mercury in Dental Amalgam

Common dental amalgam is comprised of 49% mercury, 35% silver; the remainder is tin, copper and zinc. In compound, mercury is bound to the other metals and theoretically does not pose harm to people with amalgam fillings in their teeth. Amalgam waste, however, if not recycled, is considered to be hazardous, and EPA encourages the use of best management practices to minimize amalgam use and waste, capture unused amalgam and old fillings and ensure proper management.

Health Services Industry Detailed Study on Dental Amalgam (August 2008)

According to the 2002 Mercury Source Control and Pollution Prevention Program Final Report prepared for the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), dental clinics are the main source of mercury discharges to municipal wastewater treatment plants. A study funded by the American Dental Association (ADA) estimated in 2003 that 50 percent of mercury entering wastewater treatment plants was contributed by dental offices, and EPA estimates that dentists discharge approximately 3.7 tons of mercury each year to municipal wastewater treatment plants. Read the study (pdf).

"BMP" Manual for Dentists: The Environmentally-Friendly Dentist

In 2004, the Virginia DEQ partnered with the Virginia Dental Association’s Environmental Committee to develop standardized guidance on the proper management of mercury-containing amalgam. DEQ and the committee reviewed guidance documents from EPA, the American Dental Association and various state organizations. In addition, the committee met with DEQ and local pretreatment wastewater permit coordinators and DEQ waste management staff so that the new guidance would address the specifics of Virginia’s regulations and programmatic needs.

The Environmentally-Friendly Dental Office: A Guide to Pollution Prevention & Proper Waste Management in Dental Offices is unique in that it not only addresses pollution prevention techniques for amalgam management, but also addresses all waste streams typically found in a dental office setting. The manual is being distributed to all more than 3,000 dentists in the Commonwealth, and the Virginia Dental Association is now scheduling a series of training workshops for 2006 based on the manual. The manual is downloadable in PDF format. If you have questions or would like a hard copy of the manual you can contact DEQ (skbaxter@deq.virginia.gov) or the Virginia Dental Association.