What You Need to Know:

Amalgam Separators and Vac Lines

By October 12, 2020, all dental offices must submit one-time Compliance Report to comply with EPA Clean Water Act:

Either identifies them as office that discharges dental effluent that may contain amalgam, OR waives requirement for their practice.

Requirements by State

All offices: complete Dental Discharger Certification (Compliance Report). Sign and keep copy for office records.
Determine which municipal wastewater treatment system is connected to your office. Check your utility bill to confirm the system. Check here for a spreadsheet of Oregon municipalities’ control authority and where to send the Compliance Report and annual reports.
For the Portland Metro area, the amalgam separation rule applies to offices: directly connected to the City’s sanitary sewer system or are connected to a surrounding city or district that sends a portion of their sewer to a Portland treatment facility. These include Clackamas, Gresham, Dunthrope-Riverdale, Lake Oswego, Milwaukie, Tualatin, Hillsboro, and West Hills Service District
- Complete Dental Discharger Certification (Compliance Report).
- Submit Dental Discharger Certification and include proof of installation of amalgam separator (if office not on waiver list) to DentalAmalgam@portlandoregon.gov
- By January 15 each year, submit Dental Discharge Certification with Equipment & Amalgam Waste Management Log to DentalAmalgam@portlandoregon.gov.

Visit the State’s site to One-Time Compliance Report instructions to determine where to submit Compliance Report.
In municipalities where the dental office is served by municipal pre-treatment program, submit Compliance Report to that municipal office.
Carefully note due dates for annual certification form. EX: Vancouver WA requires annual submission by Feb 28.

Physical signature required on initial Compliance Form. No electronic signatures.
Applies to ALL dental offices, even those that are excluded. (On Compliance Form, Section F provides waiver.)
Stiff penalties for non-compliance including red-tagging office (closing it).
Requires 3-year recordkeeping of amalgam inspections, replacement and recycling of amalgam separation cartridges plus solid amalgam (waste buckets).
Solmetex offers free records for cartridges and buckets sent to them. See Solmetex site for short video https://www.solmetex.com/how-it-works/#recycling-program

Physical signature required on Compliance Form. Keep copy for your records.
Keep records for 3 years: amalgam inspections, replacement and recycling of amalgam separation cartridges plus solid amalgam (waste buckets)
Solmetex offers free records for cartridges and buckets sent to them.
- Learn more here

Vacuum Lines

By law, any vacuum lines attached to an amalgam separator must be maintained with cleaners between 6 - 8 pH.
Bleach and other chemical cleaners break down amalgam and contaminate water.

Breaks down and digests organic matter
Helps reduce waste in amalgam cartridges, extending their lifespan and saving money

Step 1: BioPure Restore

Step 2: BioPure Maintain