Hygiene Atlas

Start here · Liquids · Chemical and waste safety basics

Mercury and amalgam waste

Also called: scrap amalgam, amalgam recycling, mercury waste

Old fillings, capsules and traps with mercury go to recycling, never the trash.

Dental amalgam is about 50% mercury. Scrap amalgam, used capsules, chairside traps, vacuum pump filters, separator cartridges and extracted teeth with amalgam fillings all go to an amalgam recycler. They never go in the regular trash, red biohazard bags, sharps containers or down the drain.

How to spot it

  • A sealed, labeled container from an amalgam recycling company, usually in the sterilization area or lab.

What it is used for

  • Collect amalgam waste in the recycler's container and follow its shipping directions.
  • Never rinse traps or amalgam-containing items over a sink.

Safety and care

  • Wear gloves, mask and eyewear when changing traps.
  • Never heat-sterilize extracted teeth with amalgam; mercury vapor is a health hazard.

Related

Sources: ADA. Amalgam Separators and Waste Best Management Practices, eCFR. 40 CFR 441.30 Pretreatment standards for existing sources (dental offices), FDA. Dental Amalgam Fillings, CDC. Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings, 2003. MMWR 2003;52(RR-17)