Table 1: Analysis Grid for Equipment and Services Concerning Dental Amalgam Waste Management
| Standard and Norms Required by Authorities | Dentist’s Perspective | ||||||||
| Equipment | Dentist’s | Cost Equipment | Services | Compatibility | Needs | Preoccupation | Analysis | ||
| 1. For CRD and MUC: ISO 11143 certified amalgam separator (with an efficiency level over 95%) | |||||||||
| 2. For the City of Toronto:* ISO 11143 certified amalgam separator or Canadian Wide Standard (CWS) (with an efficiency level over 95%). Must be approved by the City. | |||||||||
| 3. Norms and standards enforced: (date) | |||||||||
| Toronto (January and July, 2002) | |||||||||
| CRD – Victoria (July, 2001) | |||||||||
| MUC (July, 2002) | |||||||||
| 1. Authorities from municipalities, provinces and the federal government impose norms and standards on amalgam waste shipping, storing and recycling. | |||||||||
| 2. To facilitate citizen’s choice, some municipalities are or will validate distributor’s equipment and services. | |||||||||
| 1. Dentist should verify if the equipment used is compatible with other dental equipment components: For example, check if the equipment works with wet or dry vacuum. | |||||||||
| 2. Check the equipment size and needs according to the clinic available space. | |||||||||
| 1. For the MUC and CRD: Dentist needs to use ISO certified equipment. Using a ISO certified amalgam separator replaces the obligation to meet the legal limit because authorities consider that the dentist is using the best available technology. | |||||||||
| 2. The City of Toronto may approve equipment meeting CWS requirements (efficiency >95%) | |||||||||
| 3. Identify the needs, number of chairs etc. | |||||||||
| 4. According to the dentist resources, fix a budget to acquire or rent equipment and services. | |||||||||
| 1. Equipment and services reliability. (Check contract clauses) | |||||||||
| 2. Dentist’s concern about mercury waste issue. | |||||||||
| 3. As a waste generator, the dentist will always be responsible for his waste. | |||||||||
| That’s why, dentist must be assured to use or rent services from responsible, or certified (ISO 14001) or validated services and equipment suppliers. Some type of validation can be given by municipal authorities. | |||||||||
| Dentist should take account the cost for : | |||||||||
| Buying or renting the amalgam separator. The amalgam waste transport, storing and treatment (recycling). Amalgam waste container or reservoir replacement. Maintenance and replacement for necessary components and products. | |||||||||
Information provided by author and accurate at time of publication
Table 2: Analysis Grid for Equipment and Services Supply Market. Updated January 23, 2001
| Equipment* | Waste Management Services* | ||||
| Manufacturers | Certification or Comments Distributors | efficiency level | Cost* (CDN$) | Details | Cost*(CDN$) |
| METASYS, (ECO II): Biodent1 | |||||
| MAXIMUM2 (Model 2000): Patterson, Ash Temple and others | |||||
| REBEC3: Patterson | |||||
| DRNA4: BullfroHg and MRU | |||||
| Rasch 8905, Amalgam Separator System: AB Dental Trends | |||||
| ISO 11143 | |||||
| ISO 11143 | |||||
| ISO 11143 | |||||
| ISO 11143 | |||||
| ISO 11143 | |||||
| Leasing formula: | |||||
| Installation: $450* ($750) | |||||
| Average annual Cost: $540* ($720) ($45/month or $60/month no payment until January 1st 2002) | |||||
| Purchasing formula: | |||||
| $2,400 for the installation and initial tank | |||||
| Replacement tank cost: $275.90 | |||||
| Purchasing formula: | |||||
| $2,831 | |||||
| 100$US/month | |||||
| Purchasing formula: | |||||
| $1,490 (US$985) | |||||
| Average time before replacing tank: 18 month. | |||||
| Transport, storage, shipping and recycling services are ISO 14001 and assured by the manufacturers Metasys | |||||
| Transport, storage, shipping and recycling services are ISO 14001 and assured by Safety-Kleen | |||||
| Transport, storage, shipping and recycling services are assured by Envirotech. | |||||
| Transport, storage, shipping and recycling services are assured by DRNA | |||||
| Information not available | |||||
| Included in the equipment leasing cost | |||||
| 300$/year | |||||
| $560/year | |||||
| 150$US/month | |||||
| $945 (US$625) | |||||
| Every 18 months, transport cost is not included. | |||||
| The annual cost for the first year : $9901 ($1,470) | |||||
| Average annual cost $5401 ($720) | |||||
| 1Special Offer | |||||
| The annual cost for the first year: $2,400 | |||||
| Average annual cost : $575.90 | |||||
| The annual cost for the first year: $3,391 | |||||
| Average annual cost: 560$ | |||||
| The annual costs for the first year are US$1,200 for the amalgam separator and US$1,800 for the waste management services. Average annual cost in $CDN: $4,470 | |||||
| The annual cost for the first year: $1,490. | |||||
| Average annual cost: $630 |
* $1US = $1,49 CDN, 16/1/01
1 Daniel mnard, Biodent, january 2001; 2 Patterson, december 2000; 3 Tim Reber, Rebec january 2001; 4 Marc Sussman, DRNA, january 2001; 5 Roger Weiss, AB dental Trends, january 2001; 6 DDS Dental and Asdex, january 2001. Information provided by author and accurate at time of publication
