Is waste amalgam a significant source of mercury pollution?
No. Very little amalgam enters the environment to begin with. Research is ongoing as to whether amalgam releases mercury over time and, if so, to what extent. The mercury contained in amalgams is not present as methylmercury or readily converted to methylmercury in the environment. The mercury in dental amalgam would need to undergo a series of chemical changes in order to become methylated. This process is not automatic; it can occur only in certain environmental conditions and requires the presence of specific microorganisms. That said, the ADA and its member dentists are committed, both as health professionals and as members of their communities, to using best management practices to minimize the amount of amalgam discharged by dental offices. What are dentists doing to reduce amalgam discharge? State and local dental societies across the country are adopting (or have adopted) waste management guidelines, in concert with environmental and waste disposal experts, and have urged their
