What is the fate of dental amalgam once it enters a dental office’s plumbing lines and the community’s sewer system?
During placement or removal of amalgam restorations, most amalgam debris is caught by the chairside filter and by a secondary filter at the vacuum. Amalgam particulate is heavy, and research indicates that most of the particulate in a wastewater stream will be entrained in amalgam-capturing devices or settle in pipes over time. If amalgam particulate makes it to a wastewater treatment plant, it is likely to be captured in one or more sediment, or grit, chambers at the plant. The resulting sludge (also called “biosolids”) may be disposed at a landfill, used as a soil amendment, or incinerated. Sludge is regulated for mercury content. How much mercury is released from dental amalgam into wastewater is unknown, and the process is likely dependent on a variety of factors. Research indicates that some line cleaners, primarily those with oxidizers, may release mercury from amalgam. Therefore, use of oxidizing agents for line cleaning is discouraged. Nevertheless, ADA-sponsored research conse
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- What is the fate of dental amalgam once it enters a dental office’s plumbing lines and the community’s sewer system?
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