310 CMR, § 73.02
Amalgam. An alloy containing mercury and other metals used to restore the dentition.
Amalgam Separator. An item of dental equipment designed to remove amalgam particles from the wastewater passing through the vacuum system, or any vacuum line filters and screens and/or chair-side traps of a Dental Facility prior to its discharge.
Amalgam Waste. Any waste containing mercury amalgam or otherwise associated with preparation or use of amalgam including, but not limited to, amalgam collected by chair-side traps, screens, filters, vacuum system filters, amalgam separators or other devices; waste elemental mercury; and waste amalgam capsules.
Approved Amalgam Separator. An amalgam separator that has been demonstrated by the manufacturer to achieve a 98% or greater amalgam removal efficiency. Such removal efficiency shall be determined on the basis of test data generated by a professional laboratory that is qualified to perform the following analytical methods:
(a) ISO protocol 11143, using average test results under empty and simulated full conditions; or
(b) an equivalent method that meets Department-approved quality assurance and quality control criteria.
Separators installed under the Department's voluntary Dental Amalgam/Mercury Recycling Certification program, described at 310 CMR 73.03(2)(a) and (b), that have been demonstrated to achieve 95% or greater removal efficiency may be used as long as the separator is properly maintained and continues to achieve a 95% or greater removal efficiency. However, any replacement for such amalgam separators must achieve a 98% or greater amalgam removal efficiency.
Dental Facility or Facility. Any institution, clinic, office or location where dentistry is practiced, as defined in M.G.L. c. 112, § 50.
Department. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
ISO. The International Organization for Standardization.
Operational Standards. Specified business, operational, maintenance and other procedures listed at 310 CMR 73.05 that limit the amount of mercury released to the environment through wastewater and solid waste.
Owner of a Dental Facility. Any person who owns, leases, maintains, or operates a Dental Facility in any office or other room or rooms where dentistry is practiced, as defined in M.G.L. c. 112, § 50, or who directly or indirectly is manager, proprietor, or conductor of the same.
Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW). Any device or system used in the treatment (including recycling and reclamation) of municipal sewage or industrial wastes of a liquid nature which is owned by a public entity. A POTW includes any sewers, pipes, or other conveyances only if it conveys wastewater to a POTW providing treatment.
Reclaimed. Processing to recover a usable product or regeneration, but does not include burning (e.g., for energy recovery) or use constituting disposal.
310 CMR, § 73.02