Keeping your dental practice clean and efficient is crucial, and that includes managing the disposal of old or redundant equipment. As we enter late spring, it’s a great time to review your storage areas and address any outdated items taking up valuable space in your practice.
Do you have old amalgamators, dental pumps, or forgotten collector cups and filters gathering dust? It’s not uncommon for dental practices to accumulate equipment over the years, but proper disposal is essential, especially if items have been contaminated by hazardous materials.
Simple Sorting for Safe Disposal
As you look to clear out your storage areas, some items will need to be sent to a separate waste stream. Classic bottles of free mercury, for example, can easily be sent to amalgam disposal. Similarly, items such as study casts are gypsum-based, and will need to be disposed of accordingly, following the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2010. By separating and recycling gypsum waste wherever possible, clinicians can avoid the potential adverse effects on the environment if it were landfilled. This includes the production of hydrogen sulphide gas following decomposition in a landfill, which is known to cause long-term headaches, tiredness, and poor psycho-motor function to humans exposed to it.
However, as you clear through your storage areas, you may be unsure of what to do with larger pieces of technology in particular.
Navigating the Disposal of X-Ray Equipment
Clinicians will know the threats some X-ray materials will present when they are no longer needed, and fixers and developers must be disposed of with care. Spent fixers should be mixed with water and developer before being disposed of down a septic system or sewer after de-silvering, with developer following a similar process using water alone. The silver must then be passed on to a certified biomedical waste carrier.
But what happens to an old X-ray machine? If it has been exposed to such elements, and presents a radiation threat when live, how should it be safely managed? Firstly, disposal of X-ray equipment must follow Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations. The machine is declared inoperable when, once switched off and separated from the mains supply, the electrical power cable is cut.
Items may be recycled, but you should also remove or obscure any trefoils or other indications of an ionising radiation hazard,otherwise coming across it without knowing it is ‘inoperable’ could be distressing. The safest way to dispose of this type of equipment reliably is by contacting a specialist waste management service, who can ensure such equipment is disposed of in line with all relevant regulations.
Compliant Collector Cup Recycling and Disposal
Beyond larger equipment, used collector cups are another item requiring compliant disposal that may be taking up valuable space in your practice. These cups, particularly those used for amalgam, contain mercury-containing waste and must be handled and recycled properly to comply with environmental regulations and protect human health. Amalgam waste is considered hazardous and should not be disposed of in regular waste streams.
Initial Medical offers a sustainable and cost-effective collector cup package. This service provides recycled Durr collector cups, collects used cups for recycling at our specialist dental recycling centre, and helps to protect your equipment while offering a more sustainable approach. They can also offer flexible solutions, including both packaged services and one-off collections, for all other types of collector cups used in dental practices.
Initial Medical: Your Partner in Compliant Equipment Disposal
Many dental practices face the challenge of safely disposing of various types of equipment, including X-ray machines, dental chairs, pumps, motors, and aspirators. Initial Medical is here to help, as experts in waste management to ensure that your dental practice has the best environmental outcomes too. We will carefully handle contaminated equipment and recycle appropriately, as part of our immense offering of dental waste management. This even extends to the likes of clinical and pharmaceutical waste.
Dental waste demands can be difficult, especially with old, contaminated equipment. But, with a little help, your practice’s cupboards can be cleared and ready for growth in 2025.
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