Annual Report Update: Reports Are Not Due for 2022!

The City is currently updating the Dental Amalgam Program in response to the provisions of the new Federal Dental Effluent Guidelines at 40 CFR Part 441. Dental facilities will not be required to submit Dental Amalgam Annual Reports for the 2022 calendar year.

Program Overview

Dental practices that place in or remove amalgam fillings are a controllable source of mercury entering the sanitary sewer system and the Bay.

Consequently, all dental practices located in the eight cities and unincorporated areas served by the San José-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility are required to obtain and comply with a 5-year Dental Wastewater Discharge Permit. This permit requires dental practices to install an approved amalgam separator and implement Best Management Practices (BMPs).

How to Comply

Apply for a Dental Wastewater Discharge Permit. Submit a Dental Wastewater Discharge Permit Application.

Install an ISO 11143 Certified Amalgam Separator. An approved amalgam separator must be installed within 90 days of the effective date of the discharge permit. Approved separators are those that meet the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard 11143 to remove at least 95% of amalgam.

Implement required Best Management Practices, which include:

• Do not use bulk liquid mercury; use only precapsulated dental amalgam.
• Do not rinse chair-side traps, vacuum screens, or amalgam separator equipment in a sink or other sanitary sewer connection.
• Properly discard amalgam waste. Recycling is the preferred method for discarding amalgam waste. Resources for amalgam recycling and disposal:
  • All Clean Hazardous Waste Removal
    21 Great Oaks Blvd.
    San José, CA 95119
    Phone: (408) 363-3678
  • Safety Kleen
    1147 North 10th Street
    San José, CA 95112
    Phone: (408) 294-8778
  • Stericycle
    189 Stauffer Blvd
    San José, CA 95125
    1-866-783-7422
• Store amalgam waste in airtight containers.
• Train staff to properly handle and dispose of amalgam materials and solutions; training records must be available for inspection. For the full list of required BMPs, see A Dentist's Guide to the Dental Amalgam Program & Permit.
• Vacuum lines that discharge amalgam process wastewater to a wastewater facility must not be used with oxidizing cleaners including, but not limited to bleach, chlorine, iodide or peroxide. The pH of the cleaner must be above 6 and below 8. Below are line cleaners are approved to use with your amalgam separator:

Approved Line Cleaners

BMP and Amalgam Separator Installation Certification - This form is due within 90 days from the effective date of the dental practice’s Discharge Permit and certifies that the practice is following the designated BMPs and has installed an approved amalgam separator.

Keep Records - Keep training, disposal, and equipment records on site for five years, and make these records available for inspection. All records must be provided to Environmental Inspectors upon request.

Dental Amalgam Annual Reports are not required for the 2022 calendar year.

Program Resources

• ADA List of Dental Recyclers
• ADA Amalgam Separator Product Review
• A Dentist's Guide to the Dental Amalgam Program & Permit
• Approved Separators List
• Are You Retiring or Selling Your Practice?
• Best Management Practices
• Frequently Asked Questions

Program Forms

• BMP and Amalgam Separator Installation Certification Form
• Dental Wastewater Discharge Permit Application
• (Sample) Maintenance Log

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