The Ohio Good DEED Program

BMP Description

Reg

Yes (√)

Or N/A

DENTAL AMALGAM USE

You have discontinued the use of bulk elemental mercury.

You have sent any bulk elemental mercury in the office to a recycling facility.

Note: Check with your recycler to determine whether they will accept bulk mercury.

You use the proper size pre-encapsulated amalgam and stock a variety of capsule sizes to minimize waste.

You use chair-side traps and vacuum pump filters to collect amalgam.

You properly manage mercury amalgam from chair-side traps, vacuum screens and amalgam separators, either through recycling or disposal as a hazardous waste

♦

♦

You DO NOT rinse reusable traps or other devices containing dental amalgam over drains or sinks.

You store amalgam waste in a covered plastic container labeled “Non-Contact Amalgam Waste for Recycling” and “Contact Amalgam Waste for Recycling,” or as directed by your recycler

Note:  You should include the date when you first placed amalgam into the container on the container’s label.  Your recycler may have some requirements, so ask about containers and what may be placed in them.

Send mercury-containing materials to a recycler, including:

Non-contact amalgam

• disposable amalgam capsules
• non-contact amalgam (scrap amalgam)

Contact Amalgam

• salvage (contact) amalgam pieces from restorations

• teeth containing amalgam
contents of reusable chair-side amalgam traps
• disposable chair-side traps
• vacuum pump filters
• sludge from plumbing clean-outs

Note: Ask your recycler whether contact amalgam contents or extracted teeth with amalgam restorations require additional preparation or separate storage prior to recycling.

You use an amalgam separator that complies with ISO 11143 and is at least 95% efficient.  Check with your dental supplier to determine if yours qualifies.

You follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for operation, filter replacement and cleaning, and maintenance of your separator(s).

You use non-bleach, non-chlorine–containing line cleaners, to minimize amalgam dissolution to flush wastewater lines.

AMALGAM IN PLUMBING

You properly manage any sludge generated when you clean your pipes or replace plumbing. Handle the sludge as you would handle contact amalgam.

♦

INFECTIOUS WASTE GENERATOR REGULATIONS

Reg

Yes (√)

Or N/A

SMALL INFECTIOUS WASTE GENERATOR - Generates less than 50 pounds of infectious waste in any calendar month at one location.

You keep a written log which shows the amount (weight) of infectious waste generated each month.

Note: You are not required to send this information to Ohio EPA, but must keep it on file at the business.

♦

You put discarded needles, syringes, scalpel blades and other sharps in a commercially manufactured sharps container. 

♦

Your sharps container(s) are in good condition, labeled, puncture and leak resistant with a tight-fitting cover. It also needs to be rigid and strong enough to withstand handling during transport (for example, it will not collapse or break open).

♦

Your sharps containers are labeled with the word “sharps” and the international bio-hazard symbol. 

♦

Check with the PUCO on the requirements for proper transportation of your regulated medical waste/infectious waste.

HAZARDOUS WASTE GENERATOR REGULATIONS

Reg

Yes (√)

Or N/A

HAZARDOUS WASTE - CESQG

You have evaluated all the wastes you generate to determine whether they are hazardous wastes.  Examples of potential hazardous wastes  include:

• Dental amalgam 
• Used fixer and cleaners for x-ray developer
• Lead foils, shields, aprons 
• Used chemical sterilants
• Fluorescent bulbs and batteries
• Old electronic equipment, including computers
• Mercury-containing thermostats
• Pesticides

♦

You DO NOT put hazardous waste in with infectious waste or in the regular trash. 

♦

You DO NOT put liquids in your solid waste dumpster, even if non-hazardous, as landfills are not permitted to accept liquid wastes.

♦

You send your hazardous waste to a permitted hazardous waste treatment, storage or disposal (TSD) facility,

OR

Send the hazardous waste to an appropriate recycler, if the material is recyclable.

♦

WASTEWATER DISCHARGER REGULATIONS

Reg

Yes (√)

Or N/A

WASTEWATER DISCHARGED TO A POTW

If you are discharging to a local wastewater treatment plant (POTW), you should contact the local POTW to check on any local ordinances or permission requirements. 

You DO NOT dispose of any chemicals down the drain, such as photo and x-ray chemicals, sterilants or disinfectants, unless you have been given permission to do this from the POTW, or the activity is covered under your discharge permit with them.  

 Note:  If a dental office is not authorized to dispose of chemicals, including photo and x-ray chemicals, sterilants or disinfectants down the drain, the dental facility must evaluate and properly dispose of the chemicals. If the chemicals are hazardous wastes, the dental facility must send the chemicals to a recycler or permitted hazardous waste disposal facility.  See Hazardous Waste Section of this checklist.

♦

You DO NOT rinse amalgam from cleaning chair-side traps, vacuum screens or an amalgam separator down the drain. 

WASTEWATER DISCHARGES TO AN ON-SITE SEPTIC SYSTEM

If you have an on-site sewage treatment or disposal system such as a septic tank/leach field, filtration system or mound system, you have a permit-to-install (PTI) from Ohio EPA’s Division of Surface Water.

♦

You ensure that only sanitary water (from restrooms and hand wash only sinks) is discharged to your onsite system. 

♦

You DO NOT discharge chemicals such as photo and x-ray chemicals, sterilants or disinfectants into your on-site system.

 Note:  If wastewater containing amalgam or chemicals is going into a facility’s on-site system, the dental facility must discontinue this practice and find another way to manage its wastewater, such as installing a holding tank. A holding tank requires a permit-to-install (PTI) from Ohio EPA's Division of Surface Water. If you have chemicals or amalgam in your wastewater, your tank may also be regulated as a hazardous waste tank by Ohio EPA's Division of Hazardous Waste Management.

♦

You DO NOT discharge wastewater containing amalgam from cleaning chair-side traps, vacuum screens or an amalgam separator down the drain to an on-site system.

♦

If you have installed a holding tank for collecting wastewater, you evaluate the wastewater and have it shipped by a waste hauler to a commercial wastewater treatment facility or, if hazardous waste, a hazardous waste disposal facility.

♦

BMP Description

Yes (√)

Or N/A

RECYCLING PROGRAMS

You have a recycling program in place for office paper.

You have a recycling program in place for lead (foils and shielding).

You have a recycling program in place for amalgam.

If using film based radiography, you have a recycling program in place for fixer and developer solution.

BMP Description

Yes (√)

Or N/A

ENVIRONMENTALLY AWARE DENTAL PRACTICES

You clean and, as needed, replace mercury-laden pipes and plumbing fixtures.  It is worthwhile to clean and update plumbing after installation of new amalgam separators or other mercury control equipment.

Note: Through years of dental practice, mercury settles at low points, such as sink traps and sumps, and is slowly released into the wastewater for years after disposal practices have been corrected.  Whenever plumbing parts are moved or cleaned be sure to avoid spilling the contents in case amalgam or mercury is present.

You use a dry vacuum system at your practice.  A dry vacuum system could save more than 24,000 gallons of water annually.  It is critical to have an amalgam separator with dry vacuum systems.

You use digital radiography/panoramic X-ray units and photography to minimize the use of film processing chemicals (silver-containing radiographic fixer solution) and lead foil.

You use reusable barrier gowns.

You use lead free aprons, e.g. Demron

You use cotton towels and bibs instead of disposable plastic or paper patient bibs and launder after use.

You use stainless steel endodontic suction tips.

You use glass irrigation syringe as a substitute for disposable plastic.

You have a paperless dental practice.

You use steam sterilization for your instruments, saving energy and not using hazardous chemicals.

You are working with the municipal POTW on a community mercury reduction committee.

You have an agreement with your pharmaceutical companies for them to take back old or unnecessary medicines, especially more hazardous pharmaceuticals such as cresols, lindane, and mercury-based preservatives.

You recycle other materials such as shredded patient information, cardboard, mixed papers, plastics, aluminum and glass from your practice. 

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

You monitor and record:

• water use;
• energy consumption; and
• solid and hazardous waste generation.

With these records you’ve developed a plan to reduce your consumption and waste generation.

You use Energy Star appliances, programmable thermostats, and have implemented other energy efficiency improvements.

You unplug appliances when not in use and turn off lights when not in the room

You have installed solar shades

You have installed automatic hand dryers in restrooms.

You use low-flow plumbing/faucet fixtures that are sensor operated.

You have had your local energy utility or an energy service contractor conduct a commercial energy assessment.

You use double-sided printing.

You use biodegradable disposable cups.

Your housekeeping staff use green cleaning products.

Your landscape is designed and maintained in an environmentally friendly manner.  When landscaping use native plants and other plants and land cover that need less water, place vegetation so that it can protect your business from seasonal weather conditions (such as shade trees), and follow other eco-friendly landscaping practices.

You use alternative practices to pesticides for caring for office lawn and/or landscaping.

ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERABLE PURCHASING

You purchase materials with a high post-consumer recycled content or used materials/products for your business.

You use chlorine free paper that has a high post-consumer recycled content for your office paper and business cards.

You use E-PEAT rated computers (http://www.epeat.net/).

You purchase materials and products that are designed to be recycled at the end of their useful lives.

You choose furniture made in an environmentally friendly manner.

You use energy efficient low-mercury lighting, such as LED lamps, green-marked T5, T8, and/or compact fluorescent lamps.

When purchasing button cell batteries, you choose mercury-free batteries

You have replaced mercury-containing equipment with aneroid digital equipment, e.g. thermometers and sphygmomanometers.

You use environmentally-friendly flooring such as some of the eco-friendly linoleums, cork or bamboo.

You use ultra-low VOC paint when painting rooms

You purchase green/renewable energy from geothermal, solar or wind sources (through your electric utility).

BMP Description – Add description

Section

Yes (√)

Or N/A

Total Number of Optional Best Management Practices Implemented

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY STATEMENT - Optional