Mercury in Medical Facilities: Between 1997-1999,The Florida Center for Solid and Hazardous Waste Management sponsored research investigating the use and waste management of mercury-containing devices and other products in medical facilities. Project objectives included field-testing Best Management Practices (BMPs) and mercury management and reduction strategies at 10 hospitals (i.e. identifying and purchasing alternative products and materials with less or no mercury, recycling mercury and mercury-containing products and devices, and training personnel about mercury's use in medical facilities). The following are three reports summarizing this research.

• Best Management Practices for Reducing and Managing Mercury in Florida Medical Facilities: Field Testing, January - July 1999, December 1999
• Mercury Reduction in Florida's Medical Facilities: Improving the Management of Mercury-Bearing Medical Wastes, December 1998
• Mercury in Florida's Medical Facilities: Issues and Alternatives, December 1997

Mercury in Dental Offices

Mercury in Dental Offices: The Florida Dental Association, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the Florida Department of Health developed best management practices (BMPs) for the handling of scrap amalgam from dental offices. Dental amalgam, sometimes referred to as silver fillings, is a composite of mercury, silver, and tin that is used to fill cavities in teeth. Excess dental amalgam, teeth with fillings, and amalgam traps must be recycled or disposed of properly and should NOT be disposed of in the trash, red bags, or with other biomedical waste. The two page BMPs give detailed instructions for managing scrap dental amalgam. These voluntary guidelines were developed to help dental offices handle and recycle the mercury in amalgams in compliance with applicable environmental, biomedical, occupational health and transportation regulations. The DEP has determined that, as of August 2001, compliance with these voluntary management practices will also constitute compliance with DEP, DOH, FL DOT and US OSHA regulations that apply to scrap dental amalgam. If you choose not to manage scrap dental amalgam in accordance with these voluntary management practices, it is your responsibility to assure that your facility operates in compliance with all regulations. For specific BMPs supporting documentation from various government agencies please review the BMPs appendices. A list of audited dental amalgam recyclers is also available below.

• Best Management Practices for Scrap Dental Amalgam
• Appendices for Best Management Practices for Scrap Dental Amalgam
• Scrap Dental Amalgam Recyclers

Scrap Dental Amalgam Recyclers

What about recycling dental x-ray lead foil? The lead foil backings from intraoral dental x-ray film should be recycled, not placed in the trash. At least one film supplier has a recycling program. The Department of Environmental Protection welcomes information from other dental film/equipment suppliers and recyclers on their lead foil recycling programs. Please email us for more information.