The Professional Standard for Dental Waste Management: Amalgam Separators

Protecting the environment and complying with regulations for a greener practice.

Amalgam fillings have been used in Canada for over 100 years to restore tooth function and help patients smile again. They are more durable and less costly than other materials, but their silver colour makes them less aesthetically pleasing than the more popular white composite fillings. The mercury content of amalgam also brings up public safety and environmental concerns. This is where dental amalgam separators come in.

Amalgam separator systems are used in dental practices to trap and contain amalgam particles, ensure proper disposal of mercury, and prevent it from contaminating the environment. The best amalgam separators are built to remove at least 99% of the mercury that enters dental suction lines and wastewater.

In this article, we will examine the critical uses, features, and benefits of amalgam separator systems for the safe collection and disposal of amalgam waste.

Why are dental amalgam separators important?

A chemical amalgam is, by definition, an alloy that contains mercury. By weight, approximately 50% of dental amalgam is elemental mercury, which enables other metals, such as silver, tin, copper, and zinc, to bind together and form a filling.

The position of both the Canadian and American Dental Associations is that amalgam is safe for repairing and restoring teeth, yet its usage is on the decline. Health Canada has found “no clear link between mercury in dental amalgam and negative health effects.”? However, environmental concerns about mercury have prompted Canada, the US, and other countries to regulate the handling and disposal of dental amalgam.

Coming into force this year, Canada has prohibited the use of bulk dental amalgam powders, which must be mixed by hand with liquid mercury and pose unnecessary health risks to dental professionals. Additionally, Canadian dental practices must use amalgam separators that meet the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) ISO 11143:2008 requirements and test methods, ensuring safe handling and disposal of dental amalgam. Why is this vital?

The mercury in amalgam and other sources is a neurotoxin known to contaminate marine life in our waterways and enter our food chain. If amalgam gets flushed into dental office drains and enters public treatment plants, it is separated out with the sludge that remains after the water is treated. The mercury in the amalgam can then pollute the environment when this sludge is disposed of. Fortunately, amalgam separators enable the capture, containment, and recycling of mercury and other metals before they have a chance to reach community sewers.

Features and benefits of amalgam separators

In addition to protecting the environment, dental amalgam separators also help protect the people in the dental office. While the risk of mercury exposure in patients is low, amalgam separator systems isolate waste amalgam to limit staff exposure to mercury.

Amalgam separator systems use gravity to collect not just amalgam but all solid waste, using sedimentation, centrifugation, filtration, or a combination of the three. In doing so, they have the added benefit of extending the life of vacuum pumps by collecting solids before they reach the pumps. Additionally, some amalgam separators use ion exchange mechanisms to single out and remove mercury ions from wastewater, further protecting public health and the environment.

Safe and effective dental waste disposal products

Selecting the best amalgam separator technology for a practice depends on the number of chairs, the volume of waste generated, regulations in the jurisdiction, and budget. The following is a key product for collecting, removing, and recycling amalgam.

NXT Hg5 ?Mini Amalgam Separator System

Suitable for 1 to 4 chairs, the NXT Hg5 Mini Amalgam Separator System has a new compact design for ease of installation. The gold standard in next-generation amalgam separation technology, it is ISO 11143:2008 certified with a 99% separation rate, to meet or exceed requirements for the safe collection and removal of dental amalgam.

The NXT Hg5 system is easy to operate, maintenance-free, and functions with all wet and dry vacuums. It offers the flexibility of left or right orientation and wall or floor mount installation. Additionally, the transparent collection container shows when capacity has been reached and can be quickly changed in just 2 minutes with no tools required.

Conclusion: Amalgam separators are essential dental waste management tools

Dental professionals understand the importance of safeguarding public health by minimizing the environmental impact of amalgam use and disposal. Amalgam separators enable dental practices to comply with regulations safely and efficiently, avoid any penalties, and protect their community water supplies.