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By Jennifer Garvin

Environmental awareness is a big topic for everyone these days—not just those in the dental profession—and by doing their part in reducing amalgam discharge, dentists can help contribute to a cleaner environment.

Inside the May 15 issue of the ADA News you'll find an updated brochure, Best Management Practices For Amalgam Waste. In addition to the brochure, a 10-minute DVD can be ordered online. Both the brochure and the DVD are being made available through an educational grant from Sultan Healthcare Inc. The video can be ordered on Sultan's Web site, www.sultanhealthcare.com .

The ADA believes that reducing amalgam in wastewater discharge is one of the best ways to make dental offices environmentally friendly.

"It seemed very natural for an oral health organization like the ADA to work together on wastewater issues with other health care professionals who share similar ideas on voluntary initiatives to help improve the environment we all work and live in," said Dr. Dan Meyer, associate executive director, ADA Division of Science.

Commented Carey Lyons, Sultan executive vice president, "As a dental company, we have long made the issue of amalgam waste a priority. We are gratified to collaborate with the ADA on this environmentally responsible effort to encourage the adoption of BMPs. This approach makes good sense for dentists as professionals, as citizens and as business owners."

Clay Mickel, associate executive director, ADA Division of Communications and Corporate Relations, said, "We're grateful to Sultan for their help in bringing this important message to our members. The dental industry and the profession have a long history of working together at every level to ensure that Americans get the best quality oral care. The support of BMPs is one way to show that we're also working together for a cleaner environment."

The BMPs for Amalgam Waste Management were first published by the ADA in 2004. The Association developed them as a tool for the dental community to voluntarily integrate environmentally conscious practices and procedures into their daily routine.

If dentists cannot achieve reduction in amalgam discharge, regulators may insist on mandatory controls such as requiring dentists by law to install amalgam separators or pay for the testing of their office wastewater discharge to see if the mercury levels are below a predetermined threshold and if they are achieving a certain level of mercury in the wastewater.

The ADA believes it is important for dentists to voluntarily follow the BMPs to demonstrate to regulators and legislators that they are willing to do their share to protect the environment.

The brochure includes a list of dos and don'ts for the dental practitioner on the handling of amalgam waste. For instance, dentists are advised to use precapsulated alloys, stock a variety of capsule sizes and avoid using bulk mercury. They also are advised to salvage, store and recycle scrap amalgam and not put used disposable amalgam in biohazard containers, infectious waste containers or regular garbage.

There also is a step-by-step list on how to recycle amalgam waste and a list of questions to ask a recycler. "The ADA recommends that you contact a recycler before recovering amalgam and ask directly about any specific handling instructions the recycler may have," the brochure reads.

For an online version of the BMPs for Amalgam Waste, visit www.ada.org/goto/amalgambmp.

A limited number of BMP videos originally were produced in collaboration with the Naval Institute for Dental and Biomedical Research and funded by the ADA and Environmental Protection Agency. The new Sultan funding enables members to order their own individual copy.