Sec. 16631.

(1) Except as otherwise provided, this section applies to a dentist who uses dental amalgam and to a dentist who removes dental amalgam. This section does not apply to any of the following:

(a) Oral and maxillofacial surgeons.

(b) Oral and maxillofacial radiologists.

(c) Oral pathologists.

(d) Orthodontists.

(e) Periodontists.

(f) Dentists while providing services in a dental school, in a hospital, or through a local health department.

(2) On or before December 31, 2013, a dentist described in subsection (1) shall install or have installed and use on each wastewater drain in the dentist's office that is used to discharge dental amalgam a separator that has an efficiency of 95% or more as determined through testing in accordance with standards published by the international organization for standardization in ISO 11143:2008 "Dental equipment — Amalgam separators".

(3) On or before the expiration of 90 days after the effective date of this section, the department, in consultation with the department of environmental quality, shall promulgate rules regarding best management practice for dental amalgam collection, disposal, and recycling and the retention and inspection of dental office records regarding the following:

(a) The make, model, and type of dental amalgam separator installed and in use in the office.

(b) The method used to dispose of or recycle the dental amalgam waste collected.

(c) The shipping or other delivery records documenting the transfer of the dental amalgam waste collected to licensed recyclers or disposers.

(d) The proper operation of the dental amalgam separator, including scheduled maintenance as specified in the manufacturer's owner's manual for that separator.

(e) Compliance with dental amalgam best management practices.

(4) A violation of subsection (1) or (2) or a rule promulgated under subsection (3) is a violation of section 16221(h).

(5) Beginning on the effective date of this section and subject to this subsection, this section preempts and supersedes any local ordinance, regulation, or resolution that imposes conflicting, different, or additional standards or requirements on dentists than those contained in this section or rules promulgated by the board under this section. A local unit of government may enact, adopt, maintain, amend, or enforce an ordinance, regulation, or resolution that requires implementation of the requirement in subsections (2) and (3) before the date required in subsection (2). A local unit of government shall not enact, adopt, maintain, or enforce an ordinance, regulation, or resolution that imposes conflicting, different, or additional standards or requirements on dentists than those contained in this section or rules promulgated by the board under this section, including, but not limited to, the requirement to obtain a permit that limits the discharge of mercury into wastewater with a limitation greater than that capable of being achieved by full compliance with this section.

History: Add. 2008, Act 503, Imd. Eff. Jan. 13, 2009