Dental Waste Management - Recycling and Disposal

In order to properly provide their services to patients, dental practices use and produce a large variety of waste that can include hazardous materials. Most items can be disposed of by simply throwing into the trash. Certain items that are considered dangerous or hazardous waste must be disposed of properly.

Pick up services for dangerous and hazardous waste can have a large impact on your wallet, your safety and the environment. However, Discount Disposables has researched the market to offer a a full line of products that will ensure proper management of all dental waste you produce.

Amalgam Waste

According to OSAP recommendations dental amalgam is a hazardous compound that should be collected for recycling by a licensed recycling facility. Amalgam can be found in different parts of the dental office: chair-side traps, vacuum pump filters, amalgam separators and from left-over capsule mixing.

Sharps (Needle, Scalpels, Capsules etc.)

Sharps waste is the most common type of hazardous waste that is produced by most dental offices. The CDC estimates that employees suffer 385,000 needles sticks every year. Sharps need to be disposed of properly as they pose a large risk for injury and disease.

X-Ray Fixer

The EPA classifies amount of silver over 5 ppm as hazardous. X-ray machine fixer has a high-silver content (used fixer typically contains 3,000 to 8,000 mg/l of silver). As such, untreated fixer cannot be poured down the drain or thrown into a regular trash can.

Cold Sterile Solution

Some states, like California, are beginning to regulate the disposal of cold sterile solutions such as glutaraldehyde. Offices should always check compliance with Federal, State and Local jurisdictions.

Red Bag Waste & Full Sharps Containers

Waste such as gauze that has been contaminated with blood or bodily fluids is considered potentially infectious material or regulated medical waste. Leak-resistant bio-hazard bags can be used to contain non-sharp regulated medical waste. The red bag waste can then be disposed of properly using WasteWise's Red Bag Isolysers.

There is a large variety of dangerous waste that is produced regularly by most dental practices. Properly managing the recycling or disposal of such waste is an important part of keeping up with infection control standards.

For more information on dental waste management and disposal or to discuss your disposal and recycling needs call us at 800-366-0973 or email info@ddicp.net

Benefits of Waste Disposal & Recycling with Discount Disposables

• Reduce your costs on waste disposal and recycling.
• Eliminate costly waste pick-ups, contracts, hidden fees and extra invoices.
• Reduce your carbon footprint.
• A portion of every Waste Wise product purchase is donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.