Amalgam waste must NEVER be placed in the regular trash, placed with infectious waste (red bags), or flushed down the drain. Amalgam-containing traps, filters, or screens must NEVER be rinsed over drains or sinks. Amalgam waste includes:

• Non-contact amalgam (scrap);
  
• Contact amalgam (e.g., extracted teeth containing amalgam);
  
• Amalgam or amalgam sludge captured by chair-side traps, vacuum pump filters, screens, and other devices, including the traps, filters, and screens themselves;
  
• Used amalgam capsules; and
  
• Leaking or unusable amalgam capsules.

TIPS: Store amalgam waste in airtight containers. Follow recycler's or hauler's instructions, if any, for disinfection of waste and separation of contact and non-contact amalgam. Do not use disinfectant solutions with oxidizers, such as bleach, to disinfect the amalgam. Do not add water for waste fixer to the waste containers. Refer to the Mandatory Best Management Practices (BMPs) for ways to minimize the generation of amalgam wastes.Dental practices can have a licensed recycling contractor, mail-in service, or hazardous waste haulers that takes amalgam wastes, remove their amalgam wastes. Recycling is the preferred method for dealing with amalgam waste. Practices may also transport small quantities themselves to the San Francisco Household Hazardous Waste Facility using the VSQG (Very Small Quantity Generator) program.

For more information, refer to the Amalgam Disposal Options information sheet.