Dental News - Making progress against mercury pollution

Cassie Walker

Sun. 17 April 2011

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The U.S. government recently drew a wave of attention to the effects of mercury use by recommending the phase-out of dental amalgam. This comes just months after an announcement by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent a ripple through the U.S. dental industry: mercury waste from dental offices would soon be regulated, nationwide.

With Earth Day just around the corner, news of a possible phase-out comes via a United Nations Environment Programme’s committee dedicated to reducing mercury pollution worldwide. Though the agreement is still under discussion, the news — coming on the heels of the EPA’s announcement — makes it clear that the government is stepping in to reduce the amount of mercury released into wastewaters.

Key issue for dentists

Why is this important for dentists? The writing is on the wall: though only 12 states currently have amalgam regulations in place, change is brewing on a national level. And for good reason.

According to the EPA, an estimated 50 percent of the mercury released into wastewaters originates at dental offices, a staggering amount considering that dentists account for only 0.1 percent of the U.S. population. The harmful physical effects of mercury are well-known and it is amazingly easy for people to reach high levels of exposure, so it’s important for dentists to take steps now — ahead of national regulations — to do their part in protecting environmental and public health. Plus, with many dentists (and patients) looking to “go green” and improve their environmental impact, properly disposing of waste is an essential starting point.

Fortunately, dentists already have the tools available to them that will all but eliminate their contribution to this problem.

The Answer

Dentists can eliminate more than 99 percent of their mercury waste by following these simple steps:

Install an amalgam separator. The ADA estimates that 25 percent of amalgam waste enters wastewaters even after the use of chairside traps. Most separators capture more than 99 percent of amalgam waste.
Recycle waste amalgam. Full separator canisters must be recycled according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Never empty canisters into the trash or rinse them out in the sink.
Capture scrap amalgam. Spent capsules and disposable chairside traps must also be collected and sent to a qualified mercury recycler.

PureLife’s eco-solutions

As an eco-friendly company, PureLife Dental supports regulations as a means for reducing the dental industry’s impact on the environment. But, we also believe in making it easy and affordable for dental offices to move towards a green practice by protecting public and environmental health, ahead of these regulations.

For example, due to their state’s new regulation, most Michigan dentists are required to have amalgam separators installed by 2013. To help these practitioners with the cost of complying, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Environment awarded a grant to the Michigan Dental Association, which provides up to $300 toward the purchase of an amalgam separator. PureLife subsequently dropped its price on one of its most popular separators to $300, bringing the out-of-pocket costs for Michigan dentists to zero.

Through aggressive pricing promotions like this one, PureLife hopes to further encourage the adoption of the best means for reducing mercury pollution in wastewaters — amalgam separators — ahead of nationwide regulations. We’re considering similar promotions in other states, but in the meantime, PureLife already offers these solutions at low prices, subsidizing their cost through the sale of dental supplies. Through our new Waste Program, we also rebate a portion of our customers’ supplies purchases, applying the rebate to any of our waste products – from bio-hazards/sharps containers to lead containers to amalgam separators. It’s just one way we can help dentists meet regulations, improve their eco-impact, and make “green” work for them.

About the author

Cassie Walker is the marketing and sustainability director at PureLife Dental, an eco-friendly dental supplies company. She also founded Three Elements Consulting and TheSustainableOffice.com, where she worked directly with companies to advance sustainable, responsible business practices. Walker is the author of The Green Office Handbook, a one-stop resource for companies looking to become more sustainable, and recently appeared as the greening expert on an episode of The Lazy Environmentalist. She has an MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management.

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