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DentalProductsReport.com Exclusive Revamped recycling Simple steps to do your part and make the dental practice a more eco-concious environment.  Technological advancements in waste management allow us to recycle almost everything we use in our daily lives—from plastic containers and tires to refrigerators and computers. This list of recyclables extends to many of the business tools found in dental offices, from the new products seen in Dental Products Report and waste crowns to the near-ubiquitous computers, plastics and paper. It is important in these increasingly ‘green’ times to ensure all waste leaving a dental office is disposed of properly and with the final destination in mind. You can recycle that? Not everyone is fully aware of how much of office waste can be recycled. Any electronics, for example, can be recycled (in a process called e-cycling) to preserve resources, extract the valuable components, and prevent toxic waste from entering landfills. These electronics can include anything from office computer systems, monitors, and electronic lab equipment. As new, updated dental products come in, the older models should be sent to a recycler for demanufacturing. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as of 2007, approximately 235 million obsolete electronic units had been shifted to storage, and 40 million pieces became obsolete in that same year alone. Consider conducting an inventory of outdated equipment in storage and sending the items for removal and recycling; chances are there are a few of those 40 million obsolete electronics stored in the office awaiting proper disposal. Electronics contain valuable resource components, from precious metals to engineered plastics, all of which require substantial energy to manufacture and process. Recycling these components into new products uses fewer resources than manufacturing them from unique materials, resulting in lower environmental emissions. Additionally, e-cycling ensures that hazardous components such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and beryllium (many of which can be found in computer monitors) are disposed of properly rather than leeching into landfills and dangerously polluting natural resources. It is necessary to work with an electronics recycling company to responsibly dispose of outdated office equipment. Non-hazardous waste Of particular concern to the dental products industry is non-hazardous dental waste such as crowns, bridges, and filings. It is important to ensure that these waste items are dealt with properly so that any possible value is retrieved before final disposal. When these items are removed, the resulting precious metals can be sent away to a refiner, which processes the waste and extracts valuable metals for resale. The most prominent precious metal contained in dental waste is 16K gold. Some e-cyclers will also have the ability to refine precious metals, allowing them to accept both electronic and dental waste. It is important when choosing the company with which to partner that an office looks for a recycler that not only uses appropriate, accountable methods, but also is a primary refiner for precious metals.
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