Section 250-RICR-140-20-3.15 - Dental Amalgam SeparatorsA. No later than July 1, 2008, a dental office or facility that, in the course of treating its patients, places or removes dental amalgam must install an amalgam separator, as defined in § 3.4 of this Part, in the wastewater discharge line.B. A dental office or facility must demonstrate proper installation, operation, maintenance, and amalgam waste recycling or disposal in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations by maintaining and submitting as necessary annual records on waste shipment and maintenance of the system and any other reporting required in this section. Records of the previous three (3) years shall be maintained at all times at the point of generation. 1. Rhode Island dental offices, facilities and vocational dental educational programs shall use, instruct, and comply with best management practices (BMPs) as maintained by the Department to minimize the presence of elemental mercury, used amalgam and waste amalgam in their wastewater discharge and in their solid waste. Such BMPs shall include a requirement for an amalgam removal efficiency of at least ninety-nine percent (99%).C. Methods or technologies other than amalgam separators that achieve equivalent or greater dental amalgam discharge reductions and that are approved by the agency shall be deemed to comply with the requirements of this subsection.D. The following categories of dental offices or facilities are exempt from the requirement to install an amalgam separator; provided, that they do not replace or remove amalgam: 4. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons; and,5. A dental office that is scheduled to no longer be used as a dental office after January 1, 2008.250 R.I. Code R. 250-RICR-140-20-3.15