Amalgam Separators Installation, Inspections Do they work? What about BMP’s?

1. Amalgam Separators Installation, Inspections Do they work? What about BMP’s? AL Dube’ National Sales Manager SolmeteX A division of Layne Christensen 50 Bearfoot Road Northborough, MA 01532 508-393-5115

2. Amalgam Separators What are they? How do amalgam separators work? ISO 11143 Understanding amalgam separators. Installations Inspections

3. What are Amalgam Seprarators? Amalgam Separators are GLORIFIED “Solids Collectors” What makes amalgam separator so unique? Vacuum. How many industries do you regulate under vacuum? Why is vacuum important? Waste water flow Sampling?

4. How do Amalgam Separators work? Sedimentation Mechanical Filtration Chemical Centrifugal Almost all separators in the US start with “Separation”

5. ISO 11143 Certification of amalgam separators: Currently 1999 standard 2008 possible, no real significant changes. MOST IMPORTANT ISO 11143 is a “SOLID” standard only Mercury is not in the standard Performed under positive pressure not vacuum Lab Scale only

6. Understanding Amalgam Separators Amalgam Separators capture “Mercury” by default not by design Designed to beat a solid particle standard. Mercury must be in the right species to be captured by chemical means. Designed to capture 99% of solids not total mercury

7. Understanding continued 1 ppm equates to 10 ppb at 99% capture rate if it were dissolved mercury. We have found 3 ppm to 6 grams of Mercury in dental waste streams Amalgam separators should reduce mercury levels to less than 100 ppb, usually in the 10 ppb range. Polishing is possible but expensive. Separators are installed on vacuum side in most cases.

8. More Dental Vacuum reality Build up of prophy paste can occure even though line cleaning is done. Build up does break off and can clog vacuum pump filters and separators Flow under vacuum is not the same as flow under positive pressure Not Expensive: $330 - $2500 average $750 90% will use small systems

9. Vacuum Flow Flow under vacuum is not the same as flow under positive pressure Chair #1 Chair #2 Chair #3 Vacuum Pump

10. Line Cleaners There are approximately 35 vacuum line cleaners used in dental facilities Line cleaners have different pH ranges from 1 – 11.5 Some line cleaners have oxidizers Oxidation will break down an amalgam release mercury. Chlorine

11. Amalgam Separators in the Field (Solid) Rebec Catch 400 A B Dental Treds

12. Additional Separators (Solid) Maximum Separations 1000 DRNA BullFroHg

13. Additional Separators (Opaque) Metasys ECO II M.A.R.S. Liberty Boss

14. Additional Separators (Clear) R&D Services CH 18 SolmeteX Hg5

15. Installations:

16. Installations

17. Additional Installations

18. Inspections: Things to look for Is there a separator installed? Almost all Separators will be located where the vacuum pump is, in a utility closet or a base cabinet Is the separator working, plugged or overflowing? Clear systems functionality is visible Black Box systems you can not ( how do you know?)

19. Record keeping: Depending on the requirement, record should be kept for three years or more. Shipping documents for disposal. (Manifest or UPS or other label) Destination of waste. Land-fill or Recycling Maintenance record for change outs (Manufactures specifications?)

20. Expectations: Deadlines for installation: Most regulation are 2 years, Some as short as 6 months. Not all Dentist install before the deadline on average 20% do not

21. Voluntary vs. Mandatory Voluntary program have proven not to work within the dental community. Seattle King County, 25 systems in 8 years Mandatory Programs dramatically increase the number of systems and volume of reduction in mercury levels. Enforcement is the key to mandatory programs CT, 25% non compliant NY 40 – 50% non compliant

22. Sales of System

23. What to do? Soft regulations: Request information (CT) Manufacture, Serial #, Date of install Harder regulation: Inspection Stronger: Issue NOV for non-compliance Use the potential of Permit discussion of costs

24. Regulated States Connecticut 2003 Maine 2004 New Hampshire 2005 Vermont 2005 Massachusetts 2006 Rhode Island 2006 New York 2008 New Jersey 2009 Oregon 2011

25. Do Amalgam Separators Work? Toronto, ON 58% reduction (Toronto Sewer Authority) Seattle King County 50% reduction (Pat Magnuson, Seattle King County Sewer Authority, “Achieving Mercury Reduction in Products and Waste, ME 2005) Wichita, KS 50% reduction (Jamie Belden, Wichita Sewer District) Victoria, BC 70% reduction (The Victoria Time Colonist, “Metals in Sewage Significantly Reduced”, May 5, 2005 Victoria BC) Contra Costa County CA 50% reduction in influent and effluent HG, Congressional Subcommittee hearing July 8, 2008 Europe, “In Most Cases by at least 95%” (“Assessment of Implementation Reports in connection with PARCOM Recommendations 93?2 on Further Reductions on the Discharge of Mercury from Dentistry”)

26. Best Management PracticeBMP’s The ADA in Oct 2007 updated their BMP’s to include the recommendation of installing an amalgam separator. Dentist are not aware of what BMP’s are Seattle’s survey 2000 33% chair side traps 18% vacuum pump filters Dane County WI similar results.

27. National Update Congressional Sub Committee Hearing “Assessing State and Local Regulations to Reduce Dental Mercury Emissions”

28. Continued Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Domestic Policy of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee today announced the release of a 33-page report entitled “Reducing Dental Mercury Emissions: Installing Amalgam Separators and Achieving Compliance.” Recommendation of mandatory programs for dental facilities

29. Continued Health Services Industrial Detailed Study August 2008 "EPA does not think national, categorical pretreatment standards for dental mercury discharges are appropriate...."

30. Conclusion: Amalgam Separators are effective work BMP’s are effective Enforcement is necessary to achieve results Monitoring is necessary to achieve results Cost profiles are not that expensive Mercury Reduction can be significant.