Regulacje i polityka gospodarcza · 22.10.2014

Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Dental Category

EPA is proposing technology-based pretreatment standards under the Clean Water Act (CWA) for discharges of pollutants into publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) from existing and new dental practices that discharge dental amalgam. Dental amalgam contains mercury in a highly concentrated form that is relatively easy to collect and recycle. Dental offices are the main source of mercury discharges to POTWs. Mercury is a persistent and bioaccumulative pollutant in the environment with well-documented neurotoxic effects on humans. Mercury pollution is widespread and comes from many diverse sources such as air deposition from municipal and industrial incinerators and combustion of fossil fuels. Mercury easily becomes diffuse in the environment and mercury pollution is a global problem. Removing mercury from the waste stream when it is in a concentrated and easy to handle form like in waste dental amalgam is an important and commonsense step to take to prevent that mercury from being released back into the environment where it can become diffuse and a hazard to humans. The proposal would require dental practices to comply with requirements for controlling the discharge of mercury and oth