If your office ever generates more than 220 pounds of hazardous waste in a month, then it must comply with federal hazardous waste regulations for managing( accumulating, recording, manifesting, etc.) hazardous waste. If you generate hazardous waste, you may be held responsible for such waste, even after it has been taken to a recycling or disposal facility. For this, and other reasons, waste reduction and recycling are strongly advised.
Please use this link to be directed the EPA’ s Fact Sheet on Requirements for Very Small Quantity Hazardous Waste Generators: https:// www. epa. gov / sites / default / files / 2020-07 / documents / 10635 _ vsqg-factsheet _ 508. pdf
Hazardous materials used in the dental office have the potential to become hazardous wastes. Examples of such materials include:
• Mercury and silver used in making amalgam
• Lead found in lead-foil packets and lead shields
• Silver found in X-ray fixer solutions
• Formaldehyde, acetones and ketones in Chemiclave chemicals
Hazardous materials that are recycled are not considered hazardous waste. Depending on how you choose to handle hazardous materials or hazardous wastes, always contact the recycling, transportation or disposal facility for packaging, handling and shipping requirements.
Universal Waste
Universal wastes are certain hazardous wastes generated by a large population and are subject to streamlined hazardous waste regulations, designed to facilitate environmentally sound collection and increase proper recycling or treatment. Universal wastes may or may not be found in the dental office. Such wastes include:
• Aerosol Cans
• Batteries
• Pesticides
• Mercury containing equipment and lamps
• Oil-based finishes( Pennsylvania regulation)
• Photographic solutions( Pennsylvania regulation)
Universal waste management does not require the use of a manifest, or a licensed transporter to transport waste to a permitted treatment, storage or disposal facility.
Federal regulations regarding universal waste can be found at: https:// www. ecfr. gov / current / title-40 / chapter-I / subchapter-I / part-273
Pennsylvania regulations regarding universal waste can be found at: http:// www. pacodeandbulletin. gov / Display / pacode? file =/ secure / pacode / data / 025 / chapter266b / chap266btoc. html & d
For more information about universal waste, please refer to DEP’ s website: https:// www. dep. pa. gov / Business / Land / Waste / SolidWaste / HazardousWaste / UniversalWastes / Pages / default. aspx
Regulated Medical Waste
PDA Waste Management Guidelines 5