After years of working with the American Dental Association to address members’ concerns, on Dec. 15, 2016 the Environmental Protection Agency released a new federal regulation regarding dental amalgam waste that requires many dentists across the country to install amalgam separators.
The rule included reasonable exemptions, a phase-in period and considerations for dental practices that have already installed the devices. In 2010, the ADA House of Delegates voted unanimously to support a federal rule if certain principles were satisfied.
Even though the ADA believes this regulation is fair and reasonable and is preferable to a patchwork of rules and regulations across various states and localities, President Trump had now ordered a freeze on all new or pending regulations that have not been published in the Federal Register or taken effect yet. This amalgam separator mandate is just one those mandates that is being halted.
White House chief of staff has asked all agencies via memorandum issued on Jan. 20 to refrain from sending any new regulations to the Office of the Federal Register until the President designates department or agency heads. All regulations that have not been published yet have been directed to be withdrawn immediately and the ones not in effect will be postponed for at least 60 days.
The ADA will continue to monitor this issue and keep members aware of when the mandate will move forward again.
General information and resources are still available on ADA.org/RecycleAmalgam. Read more about the rule in ADA News and the freeze on http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2017-archive/january/president-trump-freezes-all-new-and-pending-regulations?nav=news
