Dental Amalgam Rule and Compliance Report

The City of Sioux Falls is required by EPA 40 CFR 441 to notify all dental facilities of new pretreatment standards under the Clean Water Act to reduce discharges of mercury from dental offices into municipal sewage treatment plants known as publicly owned treatment works (POTWs). Dental offices that do not place or remove amalgam but do discharge to POTWs need only submit a one-time certification to the City of Sioux Falls Environmental Division. Dental offices that place or remove amalgam must operate and maintain an amalgam separator and must not discharge scrap amalgam or use certain kinds of line cleaners. They must also submit a    one-time compliance report. One form can be used to submit either the certification or the compliance report:

One-time certification/compliance report  for dental dischargers  (PDF)

Existing Dental Dischargers (operation prior to July 14, 2017)

• Existing dental dischargers (dental offices that were in operation before July 14, 2017) must comply with the rule by July 14, 2020, and submit a one-time compliance report no later than October 12, 2020, or 90 days after a transfer of ownership.

Dental Offices began operations after July 14, 2017

• Dental offices that begin operating on or after July 14, 2017 must be in compliance immediately, and submit a one-time compliance report no later than 90 days after the introduction of wastewater to a POTW.

Existing amalgam separators may be operated for their lifetime or ten years, whichever comes first. When a separator needs replacement, or the ten-year period has ended and the separator does not meet the standard, a dental office must replace it with one that meets the rule requirements and file a one-time compliance report within 90 days of installation.

For more information on the Dental Amalgam Rule and FAQ’s visit:

https://www.epa.gov/eg/dental-effluent-guidelines

For questions related to the One Time Compliance Report call the Environmental Division at 605-367-8276