1. The Science of
Amalgam Separators
AL Dubé
President
Toppen Solutions, LLC
69 RoyAvenue
Holliston, MA 01746
508-397-9725
ALDube@ToppenSolutions.com

2. Amalgam Separator Standards
International Standards Organization 11143
American National Standards Institute /
American Dental Association 108-2009
EPA Proposed
Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards
for the Dental Category (ELGSDC)

3. ISO 11143
Solids Standard
Based on weight
Requires certified particle distribution size
Must test 6 times, 3 full / 3 empty
Efficiency based on the lower of the two test sets
95% removal is required to be certified
Types: Type 1 Centrifugal, Type 2 Sedimentation, Type 3 Filtration,
Type 4 any combination of 1,2 and 3

4. ANSI / ADA (108 / 2009)
Start with ISO 11143
Add a few wrinkles
More rinse water
Loosening in the status of the systems

5. Proposed ELGSDC
99% ISO, 2008 Standard
Receive all waste containing amalgam (Cuspidors Sinks?)
Inspected by facility once per month to verify
functionality (should change) not bypassing.
Grandfather clause 10 years (should change)

6. Certification Testing
National Science Foundation (NSF)
NSF currently performing most if not all ISO
certifications in the US.

7. Amalgam Separators
What is an Amalgam Separator? Solids Collectors
What do they do? Collect all the solids from
the evacuation system
in a dental office
How do they do it? Three separation
technologies

8. Manufacturers
What is the manufacturers #1 goal?
Design to beat the standard.
Manufactures specifications?
Capacity? 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years?
It’s all marketing

9. Manufactures
Air Techniques ApaVia Avprox
DRNA M.A.R.S. MedenteX
Metasys R&D Services Rebec
SolmeteX The Simple Anterior Quest

10. Separation Technology
Centrifugal: Will not find in the US at this time
Sedimentation: Vast majority in the US
Filtration: Two
Combination: No manufacture will admit to it.

11. Sedimentation
Air
Techniques
RebecMedenteX

12. Sedimentation
M.A.R.S. Metasys SolmeteX

13. Sedimentation
DRNA
R&D
Services
ApaVia

14. Filtration
AvproXThe Simple One

15. What do Amalgam Separators do?
Pollution Prevention Device
Separate Solids and Liquids
Capture and Collect S0lids
Remove solids to greater than 99% Efficiency
Significantly reduce mercury discharge from dental
offices

16. What “Don’t”
Amalgam Separators Do?
Capture specifically mercury
Capture dissolved mercury
Meet discharge limits, Unless you don’t have one.
Cause major issues for the dental practice
Create a major expense for the dental practice

17. How They Work
Air
From
Chairs
Air
Bypass
Water
Decant
Water
Air
Amalgam
Floaters

18. Clear vs Black Box
Clear vs Black Box

19. Clear
Can inspect visually to verify
functionality and solids collection
volume
Can easily understand how to
maintain the system
Allows for ELGSDC inspection
requirement

20. Black Box
Can only see a system is installed
No knowledge of functionality
Could be in bypass
ELGSDC inspection requirement?
Does a window count?

21. Amalgam Separator Installations
Centrally located vs Chair-Side
Central: Near or next to the vacuum pump,
last 6 months - 2 years
Chair-side: Next to the chair in the operatory,
“filters”, last about a month.

22. Designed for # of Chairs
1 Chair
1-6 Chairs
1-10 Chairs
10-20 Chairs
Large Clinics or school

23. Separator Costs
Manufacture dependent / Size Matters
$150 per Chair for Chair-side units
$300 - $1200 covers 90% of the market
Annual Operational costs $300 - $600
Expect the costs to reduce when and if
EPA Dental Rule is applied.

24. Potential Issues
Filter systems plug fast and
need frequent changes because
vacuum is pulled through the filter
Central systems can plug
and bypass. This is not
restricted to certain manufactures

25. Inspections
Bring Flashlight for clear systems
No flashlight necessary if Black Box
Chair-sides systems in the treatment room
Central systems will be located near the vacuum
pump, usually a utility closet or basement
ELGSDC: How can you inspect a Black Box?

26. Inspection Questions to Ask
How many vacuum users in the practice?
Where is the amalgam separator located, chair or
central?
How many users is the separator rated for?
When was the last time the collection container was
disposed of?
What evacuation line cleaner are you using?

27. Waste Disposal
Most separator companies have disposal options
through pre-paid labels to recycling centers or staging
centers for disposal
Several mercury refining companies in the US one in
Europe
Proper Disposal should not be an issue

28. Dissolved Mercury
Amalgam Separator are not designed to catch dissolved
mercury
One company makes the claim by using carbon however
limited amount of contact with carbon
Polishing system possible however does not completely
remove all mercury
Amalgam separators should get mercury levels to low ppb
range

29. Tank System
Anteriot Quest
Central location
never needs
changing

30. Tank?
Tank systems collect all waste from dental vacuum
Tank contents are pumped out and collected for transport
approximately 60 day schedule
Brought to proper facility for disposal
Solid waste is refined
Not available everywhere.
Not ISO or ANSI / ADA 108 / 2009 approved Does it need to be?
Meets ELGSDC amalgam definition?

31. Line Cleaners
Many line cleaners with varying pH
Some have oxidizers
Chemical
Enzymes
Micro Biological

32. Proposed ELGSDC
pH 6 - 8
Non-bleach / Non- chlorine (Expect a change)
Weekly Cleaning (Should be daily for standard
cleaners once to twice a week for micro-
biologicals)

33. Best Management Practice
Collection of scrap amalgam
contact and non-contact
Collect waste in chair-side traps
Collect vacuum pump filters
Properly dispose of collection
containers

34. ELGSDC BMP’s
Similar to ADA’s BMP’s
BMP’s would be required in some capacity.
May be the Standard under Dental Industrial Users
(DIU)

35. ELGSDC Status
Public Comment ended Feb 20, 2015
Should be working on replies to comments
An NGO spoke with EPA HQ which stated “EPA
will publish its final amalgam rule in June 2016. This
is unconfirmed however from a reliable source, don’t
holding my breath
No official word and its anyones guess if it happens

36. Dental Vacuum Flow
Vacuum is negative
No positive pressure
Pulls, not gravity
Flow only when High Speed suction is open
High speed is sporadic
Vacuum lines must be cleaned regularly

37. Dry vs Wet Vacuum Pumps
Dry
Vacuum
Wet
Vacuum
Discharges an extra 360 - 520 gpd
VS

38. Any Water Restrictions?
Tap water is used to operate wet vacuum
Water usage is becoming an issue for states specifically
California
What is the water use of wet ring pumps?
Recycle about 1/4 gpm clean tap water
Some have recyclers which cuts water use to 10%, not as
frequent

39. Wet Ring Vacuum
1 hp 360 gpd
90,000 gpy
Dual Vac 720 gpd
180,000 gpy

40. Wet Ring Vacuum
2 hp pump 520 gpd
130,00 gpy

41. Dry Vacuum

42. Dry Vacuum Advantage
Uses no water for operation
More expensive however savings from water usage
could pay for the pump (San Fran 14 month payback)
Can be financed for no upfront costs, virtually free
No delusion effect
More power efficient

43. Separator Work
No questions on the ability to reduce mercury for
influent or effluent

44. Questions?
THANK YOU