Proposed American National Standard/
American Dental Association
Specification No. 109
Proposed ANSI/ADA Specification No. 109 All Interested Parties Review: June 2006
N295
Procedures for
Storing Dental
Amalgam Waste and
Requirements for
Amalgam Waste
Storage/Shipment
Proposed ANSI/ADA Specification No. 109 All Interested Parties Review: June 2006
PROPOSED ANSI/ADA SPECIFICATION NO. 109 FOR PROCEDURES FOR STORING DENTAL AMALGAM WASTE AND REQUIREMENTS FOR AMALGAM WASTE STORAGE/SHIPMENT CONTAINERS
FOREWORD
(This Foreword does not form a part of the Proposed ANSI/ADA Specification No. 109 for Procedures for Storing Dental Amalgam Waste and Requirements for Amalgam Waste Storage/Shipment Containers).
The purpose of this document is to provide dental offices that place or remove dental amalgam with a standard procedure for collecting, storing and preparing amalgam waste for delivery to recyclers or their agents for recycling. This document does not address transportation of amalgam waste or reclaiming of mercury from amalgam waste, which would be addressed by a separate document to be developed.
Recyclers must be permitted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Permitted recyclers are responsible to ensure that mercury is not released to the environment during or after treatment processes, e.g., retorting, to recover the mercury. Criteria for selecting recyclers or their agents are described in the annex, “Best Management Practices for Recycling Amalgam Waste.”
Users of this document should be cognizant that individual states may have different requirements on amalgam waste management that are in addition to these standard procedures.
Proposed ANSI/ADA Specification No. 109 All Interested Parties Review: June 2006 2
PROPOSED ANSI/ADA SPECIFICATION NO. 109 FOR PROCEDURES FOR STORING DENTAL AMALGAM WASTE AND REQUIREMENTS FOR AMALGAM WASTE STORAGE/SHIPMENT CONTAINERS
1 SCOPE
This standard describes procedures for storing, and preparing amalgam waste for delivery to recyclers or their agents for recycling. In addition, it gives requirements for the containers for storing and/or shipping amalgam waste.
2 NORMATIVE REFERENCES
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
49 CFR 178.509 Standards for plastic drums and jerricans 49 CFR 178.603 Drop Test
49 CFR 178.608 Vibration Standard
International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) Procedure 3A Packaged-products for parcel delivery shipment 70 kg (150 lb) or less (standard, small, flat or elongated)
(ISTA documents are available from the International Safe Transit Association, 1400 Abbott Rd., Suite 160, East Lansing, MI 48823 and www.ista.org).
3 TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
Agent – A business concern acting on behalf of another company.
Amalgam – A dental filling material consisting of intermetallic compounds of mercury, silver, copper, tin and
sometimes zinc.
Amalgam waste – Includes amalgam (scrap), chair-side trap filters containing amalgam, vacuum pump filters
containing amalgam, saliva ejectors if used in dental procedures involving amalgam, used amalgam capsules, extracted teeth with amalgam restorations as well as waste items that are contaminated with amalgam.
Container – The receptacle for storing amalgam waste for recycling. is silver or gray in color or has a silver or
gray label.
Recycler – A business that accepts amalgam waste from dental offices for reclamation of metallic components
of amalgam through retorting or other processes.
Used amalgam capsules – Individually dosed packaging and mixing containment devices left over after mixing
precapsulated dental amalgam.
4 CLASSIFICATION
There is no classification applicable to this document.
5 REQUIREMENTS
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All Interested Parties Review: June 2006 3
The container for storing amalgam waste shall be silver or gray in color or have a silver or gray label. The container shall have a sealable closure and be in compliance with: 49 CFR 178.509, 49 CFR 178.603, 49 CFR 178.608 and ISTA 3A.
The container is intended only for amalgam waste.
5.1.1 Marking
The container for storing amalgam waste shall be marked: Amalgam Waste for Recycling. Additional marking designating the type of amalgam waste is optional.
5.2 Container for Shipping
The container for shipping shall be a corrugated box large enough to accommodate the container for storing amalgam waste.
6 STANDARD PROCEDURES FOR STORING AMALGAM WASTE PRIOR TO RECYCLING
6.1 Handling amalgam waste
Use personal protective equipment (gloves, masks, and protective eyewear) when handling amalgam waste that has been generated during patient treatment or has potentially been in contact with infectious material.
6.2 Storing amalgam waste
Store all types of amalgam waste in a container meeting requirements 5.1 and 5.1.1.
6.3 Preparing Amalgam Waste for Delivery to Recycler or its Agents
6.3.1 Disinfecting amalgam waste (if required by recycler)
If the addition of disinfectants to the amalgam waste is required by the recycler or its agents, follow the recycler’s instruction regarding the addition of disinfectant to the amalgam waste in the container prior to shipping.
6.3.2 Preparing Container for Delivery
Place the container for storing amalgam waste in a shipping container which meets requirement 5.2. Follow your service provider’s instructions in closing and sealing the container.
6.3.3 Delivering Container to Recycler or its Agents
Follow the instructions of the recycler or its agents to use a parcel delivery or pick up service for delivery of the container with amalgam waste to the recycler or its agent.
7 RECORD KEEPING
Retain written records of the date of the shipment, the approximate mass of waste being shipped and the name and address of the recycler or its agent. Request and keep receipts from the recycler or its agents.
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Annex
Practical Guide to Best Management Practices for Amalgam Waste
This annex is to provide information and is not part of the standard procedures.
Best Amalgam Waste Practices
All amalgam waste: Recycle all amalgam waste. Do not put amalgam waste in biohazard containers, infectious
waste containers (red bags) or regular waste.
Amalgam scrap (non-contact amalgam): Place unused excess amalgam in the silver or gray storage container or a
storage container with silver or gray label. Cover and seal the container closure.
Bulk mercury: Do not use bulk mercury. Recycle unused bulk mercury separately from amalgam waste.
Carving amalgam (contact amalgam): Salvage the carving scrap collected at chair-side and amalgam pieces from
restorations after removal and place them into the silver or gray color storage container or a storage container with silver or gray label. Cover and seal the container closure.
Extracted teeth with amalgam restorations: Place extracted teeth with amalgam restorations into the silver or gray
color storage container or a storage container with silver or gray label. Cover and seal the container closure.
Disposable chair-side traps: Open the chair-side suction unit to expose the trap. Remove the trap and place it
directly into silver or gray color storage container or a storage container with silver or gray label. Cover and seal the container closure. (Note: Traps from dental units dedicated strictly to hygiene may be disposed of as general trash.)
Reusable chair-side traps: Open the chair-side suction unit to expose the trap. Remove the trap and empty the
contents into the silver or gray color storage container or a storage container with silver or gray label. Cover and seal the container closure. Replace the trap into the chair-side unit. Do not rinse the trap in a sink or over a drain connected to the sanitary sewer.
Disposable vacuum pump filters: Remove the filter. Put the manufacturer-supplied lid on the used filter and place
the filter into the silver or gray container or a storage container with silver or gray label. Cover and seal the container closure.
Reusable vacuum pump filters: Remove the filter. Decant any excess liquid into a container and empty the contents
in the filter into the silver or gray color storage container or a storage container with silver or gray label. Cover and seal the container closure. Replace the filter onto the suction line or unit and recirculate any decanted liquid through the suction system. Do not rinse the filter in a sink or over a drain connected to the sanitary sewer.
Use of Line Cleaners
Use non-bleach, non-chlorine–containing line cleaners which will minimize amalgam dissolution such as those listed below. Do not use bleach or chlorine containing cleaners to flush wastewater lines.
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All-in-One (Carlisle Laboratories), Biocide (Biotrol International), BirexSe (Biotrol International), Cavicide (Metrex Research Corp.), DRNA Vac (Dental Recycling North American Inc.), E-Vac (L&R Manufacturing Co.), Evacuation Cleaner (Carlisle Laboratories), EZ-Zyme (Miltex), Fresh-Vac (Huntington), GC Spray-Cide (GC America Inc.), Gobble Plus (Germiphene Corp), Green and Clean (Metasys), Maxi-EVAC (Henry Schein, Inc.), Microstat 2 (Septodont USA), Patterson Brand Concentrated Ultrasonic Cleaner/Disinfectant Solution (Patterson Dental Supply, Inc.), ProE-Vac (Cottrell Ltd.), Pure-Vac (Sultan Chemists Inc.), Sani-Treet Plus (Enzyme Industries Inc.), SRG Evacuation (Icon Labs), Super Dent (Carlisle Laboratories), Stay Clean (Apollo Dental Products), Turbo-Vac (Pinnacle Products), VacuCleanse (Infection Control Technology), Vac-U-EZ (Custom Air), Vacusol Ultra (Biotrol International), Vacuum Clean (Palmero Health Care).
(This listing is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as an endorsement of these products. Check with your manufacturer to determine which line cleaner would be appropriate for use with your equipment).
Questions To Ask Your Amalgam Waste Recycler
Following is a list of questions you may want to ask your amalgam waste recycler. Note that not all recycling
companies accept every type of amalgam waste and the services offered by recyclers vary widely. It is recommended that you contact a recycler before recovering amalgam and ask about any specific handling instructions the recycler may have. Importantly, select a reputable company that complies with applicable federal and state law and provides adequate indemnification for its acts and omissions.
Ask Your Recycler …
• Does your amalgam waste container meet the requirements of ANSI/ADA Specification No. 109 for Procedures for Storing Dental Amalgam Waste and Requirements for Amalgam Waste Storage/Shipment Containers?
• What kind of amalgam waste do you accept?
• Do your services include pick up of amalgam waste from dental offices?
• If not, can amalgam waste be shipped to you?
• Do you provide packaging for storage, pick up or shipping of amalgam waste?
• If packaging is not provided, how should the waste be packaged?
• What types of waste can be packaged together?
• Do you accept whole filters from the vacuum pump for recycling?
• Is disinfection required for amalgam waste?
• How much do your services cost?
• Do you pay for clean non-contact amalgam (scrap)?
• Do you accept extracted teeth with amalgam restorations?
• Does your company have an EPA or applicable state license?
