|  | Dental Offices Release As Much As 6000lbs. Of Mercury Into The Environment Annually In The United States!(Journal of Dentistry Vol. 31, September 2003 Pg. 493-501)
Most dental offices also release Silver into wastewater as a result of processing dental x-ray films. These films also include a lead film that is used to reduce radiation exposure to patients. Both of these materials should be reclaimed and recycled, but often are not. At Boulder Dental Group we are going beyond regulatory requirements to achieve environmental excellence! We are voluntary members of P.A.C.E., Partners For A Clean Environment. We reclaim all removed mercury fillings through the use of chair-side amalgam traps and an amalgam separator on our vacuum system. We also reclaimed all dental fixer and lead foils from films and recycled them through the proper agencies until January of 2007 when we installed digital x-rays. Digital x-rays use 85% less radiation to take an image that appears instantly on a full sized monitor screen rather than a two by one inch dental film. Not only is this more diagnostic, but it removes the need for a film processor and lead foil altogether. We have also eliminated the use of Chromium containing cleaners which are a cancer risk, have committed to properly recycle lead x-ray aprons and shields and reduced waste generation by recycling office paper and co-mingled containers and using paper with recycled content. Sincerely, Dr. Marc A Alber D.D.S.
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Dental Amalgam is a mixture of about 50% methyl mercury and 50% other metals such as Nickel, Copper, Silver, and Molybdenum. When these fillings are removed often the dust and particles from these fillings go straight down the drain and into our water systems. This amalgam cannot be extracted by wastewater treatment plants and contaminates local creeks and biosolids applied to land. In recent years a few states have begun to require the use of amalgam separators for dental offices that safely remove the amalgam. Then it can be disposed of properly by hazardous waste companies, not incinerated like most medical waste which can release toxic mercury vapor into the air. Unfortunately, at this time only 12 of 50 states have guidance on the disposal of dental waste water. Colorado is not one of them.