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State Mercury Medical/Dental Waste Programs
Safe Mercury Management Information
SMM HomeMedical facilities, because of the large variety of uses for mercury-containing equipment/items, have an increased responsibility for proper disposal and treatment of their mercury waste. One goal of medical mercury management programs is to replace mercury-containing devices with mercury-free alternatives. Currently, various states have proposed or enacted legislation or established voluntary programs focusing on mercury in medical facilities. There also are national and state organizations that promote mercury management and reduction strategies such as identifying and purchasing alternative products and materials with less or no mercury, recycling mercury and mercury-containing products and devices, and training.
Many states also are undertaking both regulatory and non-regulatory activities to ensure proper management of mercury-containing dental amalgam. For instance, various states have proposed or enacted legislation as well as set up voluntary programs that address the use and management of dental amalgam. In addition, some federal and national organizations have developed outreach materials to provide information exchange, training, and general education for the public and dental professionals.
The links below will take you out of the EPA.gov domain and to external links. 
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Laws and Regulations Regarding Mercury Amalgam Use |
Guidance on Mercury Waste in Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities |
Guidance on Mercury Waste in Dental Practices |
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HB 495: Mercury Amalgam Filling: Search under Bills for Status in 2004 Regular Session
HB 665 (LS: 04): Would require dentists to provide information about mercury or mercury amalgam to patients: Search under Bills for Status in 2004
HB 2467: Mercury Amalgam Fillings
Guide to Mercury Assessment and Elimination in Healthcare Facilities (PDF) (79 pp, 458K, About PDF)
California Pollution Prevention for Dental Offices
AB 966 (LS: 05): Would establish standards related to amalgam in dental and related services
AB 999 (LS: 03): Sets insurance requirements for alternatives to mercury amalgam fillings
Pueblo Dental Mercury Pollution Prevention Project Final Report, August 31, 2004 (PDF)(16 pp, 292K, About PDF)
HB
1187 (LS: 97): The act prohibits dentists from using mercury
amalgam as a dental restorative material.
Mercury Amalgam Fact Sheet (PDF) (2 pp, 295K, About PDF)
Best Management Practice for Dental Offices Waste Handling in Connecticut
HB 5713 (LS: 05): Would require dental benefits to cover non-mercury fillings
TBD
Best Management Practices for Mercury in Medical Facilities and Mercury in Dental Offices
Best Management Practices for Scrap Dental Amalgam
HB 442 (LS: 03): Would prohibit the use of mercury amalgam fillings in a certain populous.
SB 455 (LS: 93rd GA): Prohibits use of mercury amalgam under certain circumstances Go to SB 455
Eliminating Mercury in Hospitals (PDF) (12 pp, 683K, About PDF)
SB 141 (LS: 04): Relating to mercury contained in immunizations and dental restorations
Mercury Management in the Health Care Environment
Medical Pollution Prevention Agreement Program
Release of Mercury from Consumer Products: Medical Legislation
Health Effects of Mercury Fillings Legislation/Medical Legislation (PDF) (1 pg, 6K, About PDF)
Mercury in Dental Fillings Brochure
LD 697: Requires the installation of dental amalgam separator systems in dental office
LD 1409: Requires dentists to inform patients of the health effects of mercury fillings
LD 1327 (LS: 122nd): Would prohibit the use of mercury fillings
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection's Dental Amalgam Mercury Recycling Program
PPIS Hospital Project Description
Dental Elemental Mercury Collection Program
SB 0094: Elimination of use of mercury in hospitals
Great Lakes Dental Mercury Reduction Program
Mercury Amalgam Recovery Program
HB 1251: Mercury Fillings: Medical Legislation
Reducing Mercury Use in Health Care
Mercury Pollution Prevention Education Project
Mercury and Dental Amalgam Recyclers
New York Requirements for Recycling Dental Amalgam
Chapter 506: Recycling Dental Amalgam
Mercury Challenge Medical Program
Mercury Challenge Handbook Medical Programs (PDF) (33 pp, 101K, About PDF)
SB 681: Prohibits use of dental materials containing mercury after July 1, 2007
Mercury Education and Reduction Campaign
Dental Mercury Collection Program Description
Amalgam Separators approved by King County
Mercury Dental Amalgam Program (PDF) (19 pp, 327K, About PDF)
The American Medical Association (AMA) Mercury and Fish Consumption: Medical and Public Health Issues report summarizes the key findings of the April 2004 Conference on Mercury: Medical and Public Health Issues, co-sponsored by EPA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E) provides health-care facilities with valuable information about mercury and how to eliminate its use.
Health Care Without Harm is an international coalition of hospitals and health care systems, medical professionals, community groups, health-affected constituencies, labor unions, environmental and environmental health organizations and religious groups. One of their goals is to phase out the use of mercury in all aspects of the health care industry.
Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA)/Medical Academic and Scientific Community Organization, Inc. (MASCO) - Mercury Work Group
To address complex mercury issues, the MWRA established a Mercury Work Group to examine the issues and to develop strategies to reduce the amount of mercury being discharged into its sewer system. Hospital participation in this process was coordinated through MASCO (a not-for-profit provider of services and technical assistance to Longwood Medical and Academic Area institutions), and involved the active participation of 28 hospitals.
University of Massachusetts - Sustainable Hospital Project Web Site provides technical support to the health care industry by listing and describing current products and work practices that reduce occupational and environmental hazards in the health care environment.
For comprehensive information on state dental amalgam mandatory and voluntary programs, view EPA's Health Services Industry Detailed Study (PDF) pp. 4-4 to 4-9. (76 pp, 1.0MB, About PDF)
The American Dental Association (ADA) is the professional association of dentists committed to the public’s oral health, ethics, science and professional advancement. In September 2005, ADA released Best Management Practices for Amalgam Waste, which establishes ADA guidelines for recycling amalgam.
The Naval Institute For Dental and Biomedical Research is the lead agency in a Navy-wide program developing and evaluating existing and emerging technologies for removal of mercury from dental unit wastewater streams.