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Dental amalgam--environmental aspects.

D Arenholt-Bindslev1

  • 1Royal Dental College, Aarhus, Denmark.

Advances in Dental Research
|September 1, 1992
PubMed
Summary

Dental clinics contribute significantly to mercury in wastewater sludge, necessitating amalgam separators. These devices are now mandatory in several countries to reduce mercury pollution and protect ecosystems.

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Public Health
  • Dentistry

Background:

  • Growing awareness of toxic effects from anthropogenic mercury accumulation in ecosystems.
  • Increased regulatory pressure to reduce mercury waste discharge, particularly from dental clinics.
  • Dental amalgam waste poses environmental risks if not managed properly.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the significant contribution of dental clinics to mercury in wastewater sludge.
  • To emphasize the need for effective mercury waste management in dental practices.
  • To discuss the role and mandatory implementation of amalgam separators in reducing mercury pollution.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing knowledge on mercury accumulation and dental waste.
  • Analysis of mercury levels in wastewater sludge from purifying plants.
  • Examination of regulatory requirements and testing programs for amalgam separators.

Main Results:

  • Dental clinics are a major source of mercury found in wastewater treatment plant sludge.
  • Mercury-contaminated sludge exceeding heavy metal thresholds cannot be recycled as fertilizer.
  • Amalgam separators are now mandatory in several countries (e.g., Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, Denmark).

Conclusions:

  • Effective management of dental amalgam waste is crucial for environmental protection.
  • Amalgam separators are essential for reducing mercury discharge from dental clinics.
  • Mandatory installation and high efficiency (95-99%) of amalgam separators are key to minimizing mercury pollution.

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