Pima County Wastewater Reclamation issued the following announcement on Aug. 2.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines restrict the discharge of amalgam containing mercury and metal alloy (from dental facilities) into the sewer system. RWRD’s Industrial Wastewater Control (IWC) section is responsible for enforcing EPA guidelines, has contacted dentists, and inspected numerous dental facilities to raise awareness and ensure that amalgam separators with a removal efficiency rating of 95% or greater has been (or will soon be) installed.
Based on recent sampling data, Pima County does not currently have an issue with mercury in the wastewater system. IWC is seeing small influent numbers (< 1 part per billion gallons) with mostly non-detectable amounts in the effluent from the treatment plants. Sludge data from Tres Rios shows similar results (< 1 milligram per kilogram). These small mercury amounts speak volumes about the importance of the amalgam separators and the criticality of raising awareness about the subject. These measures should enable Pima County to continue to meet all necessary effluent and sludge disposal limits.
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up