Environmental Pollution from Waste of Dental Amalgam Material
Session
Agriculture, Food Science and Technology
Description
Amalgam is the main material used in the dental filling. It consists of mercury, silver, tin, and copper. Approximately 50% of amalgam is mercury by weight, a toxic substance that represents a global threat to human and environmental health. Due to neurotoxic effect of mercury on children, some EU countries have banned the use of amalgam in children and pregnant women. In Republic of Kosova over 80% of dentists use amalgam as the main dental filling especially in children and elderly people.
Based on our research, dental waste management does not function properly and there is a lack of best management practices in regard to handling and disposing of amalgam as hazardous wastes by dental clinics and laboratories. In most cases, amalgam wastes are thrown into the regular trash, discharged in public sewer or mixed along with other biomedical wastes destined for incineration. An ISO 11143 certified amalgam separator system that ensures efficient separation of mercury amalgam waste is far from practicing.
Toxic chemicals released by dental clinics may be minimal but their continuous discharge in nature lead to elevation, persistence and bioaccumulation of toxic heavy metals causing a serious menace to environmental health. Our first assessment provided important information on making a national plan that stipulates adequate management from handling to the disposing of mercury hazardous waste in a qualified landfill. Without clear regulation and enforcement, reducing the potential effects of environmental contamination will not happen.
Keywords:
Environment, pollution, mercury, toxicity, dental amalgam
Session Chair
Flutura Ajazi
Session Co-Chair
Imri Demelezi
Proceedings Editor
Edmond Hajrizi
ISBN
978-9951-550-19-2
Location
Pristina, Kosovo
Start Date
26-10-2019 3:30 PM
End Date
26-10-2019 5:00 PM
DOI
10.33107/ubt-ic.2019.423
Recommended Citation
Musliu, Afete-Shala; Beqa, Lule; and Kastrati, Gani, "Environmental Pollution from Waste of Dental Amalgam Material" (2019). UBT International Conference. 423.
https://knowledgecenter.ubt-uni.net/conference/2019/events/423
Environmental Pollution from Waste of Dental Amalgam Material
Pristina, Kosovo
Amalgam is the main material used in the dental filling. It consists of mercury, silver, tin, and copper. Approximately 50% of amalgam is mercury by weight, a toxic substance that represents a global threat to human and environmental health. Due to neurotoxic effect of mercury on children, some EU countries have banned the use of amalgam in children and pregnant women. In Republic of Kosova over 80% of dentists use amalgam as the main dental filling especially in children and elderly people.
Based on our research, dental waste management does not function properly and there is a lack of best management practices in regard to handling and disposing of amalgam as hazardous wastes by dental clinics and laboratories. In most cases, amalgam wastes are thrown into the regular trash, discharged in public sewer or mixed along with other biomedical wastes destined for incineration. An ISO 11143 certified amalgam separator system that ensures efficient separation of mercury amalgam waste is far from practicing.
Toxic chemicals released by dental clinics may be minimal but their continuous discharge in nature lead to elevation, persistence and bioaccumulation of toxic heavy metals causing a serious menace to environmental health. Our first assessment provided important information on making a national plan that stipulates adequate management from handling to the disposing of mercury hazardous waste in a qualified landfill. Without clear regulation and enforcement, reducing the potential effects of environmental contamination will not happen.