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How to Recycle Dental Materials
Check local acceptanceNot applicable to patients; any precious-metal recovery value from dental scrap belongs to the dental practice's waste management arrangementLast reviewed July 30, 2026
Quick answer
Old amalgam fillings, crowns, and other dental waste removed during a procedure are the dental office's responsibility to capture and dispose of correctly, not something a patient manages at home. Since a 2020 compliance deadline, dental offices that place or remove amalgam have been required to install EPA-mandated amalgam separators to keep mercury out of wastewater. As a patient, your own disposal task is limited to things like an old toothbrush, floss container, or OTC dental appliance packaging, disposed of by material type. Before you go, confirm that a local recycling center accepts the material in its current condition.
- Recycling route
- Check locally
- Typical value
- Not applicable to patients; any precious-metal recovery value from dental scrap belongs to the dental practice's waste management arrangement
Dental amalgam, crowns, bridges, and other materials removed during dental procedures, plus consumer dental products like toothbrushes and floss packaging. Amalgam handling is a dental-practice compliance issue, not a consumer disposal task.
Where to Recycle
- Your dentist's office (amalgam, crowns, and other removed dental materials, handled entirely by the practice)
- Manufacturer toothbrush take-back programs, for consumer dental products
- Regular household recycling, for dental floss containers and OTC packaging, by material type
How to Prepare
- 1If you have a crown, bridge, or filling removed, leave its handling to your dentist's office; they're required to capture and manage it properly
- 2For everyday dental products, recycle a toothbrush through a manufacturer take-back program if one exists, or check whether your local program accepts the plastic type
- 3Recycle floss containers and OTC dental appliance packaging based on the material, usually plastic, if your area accepts it
- 4Don't try to extract or sell metal from a filling or crown yourself; this isn't a consumer activity
Special Instructions
EPA's dental amalgam separator rule, in effect since 2017 with a 2020 compliance deadline, requires most dental offices that place or remove amalgam to install separators that capture at least 95% of amalgam waste before it reaches the sewer system. That obligation belongs entirely to the dental practice; a patient never handles or disposes of their own removed fillings, crowns, or amalgam waste. If a dental office generates recoverable gold, platinum, or silver dental scrap, that recovery is also arranged by the practice, typically through a dental refiner, not by the patient.
Environmental Impact
The amalgam separator rule has been effective: dentistry now accounts for under 1% of total mercury released into the environment, according to the American Dental Association, down substantially from before separators became standard. That progress comes from practice-level compliance, not from anything patients do differently.
Official guidance and resources
Accepted items and drop-off rules can vary by location. Check the destination before you go.
What’s Accepted
Accepted
- Toothbrushes through applicable manufacturer take-back programs
- Floss containers and OTC dental appliance packaging (by plastic type, if locally accepted)
Not Accepted
- Removed amalgam, crowns, or dental metal waste, as a consumer disposal task (this stays with the dental practice)
- Used dental floss (not recyclable; goes in regular trash)
Donation & Take‑Back Options
Estimated value: Not applicable to patients; any precious-metal recovery value from dental scrap belongs to the dental practice's waste management arrangement
Hazardous Components
- Mercury in amalgam (managed by the dental practice under EPA's separator rule, not by patients)
FAQs
Do I need to do anything with my old filling after the dentist removes it?
No. Your dentist's office is required to capture and manage amalgam and other dental waste under EPA rules. It's not something a patient disposes of.
Are dental offices required to filter mercury from wastewater?
Yes. Since a 2020 compliance deadline, most dental offices that place or remove amalgam must use EPA-mandated separators that capture at least 95% of amalgam waste before it reaches the sewer.
How much does dentistry contribute to mercury pollution today?
Under 1% of total mercury released into the environment, per the American Dental Association, down since the separator rule took effect.
Should I ask my dentist to remove old fillings for the metal value?
No. Removing functional dental work for scrap value isn't a good trade for your dental health. Any precious-metal recovery happens naturally as part of normal replacement procedures, handled by the practice, not as something to pursue on its own.
Related recycling guides
- How to recycle Inhalers
- How to recycle Wound Care Supplies
- How to recycle Unused Medications
- How to recycle Diabetic Supplies
- How to recycle Sharps (Needles & Syringes)
- How to recycle Ostomy Supplies
- How to recycle IV Bags and Tubing
- How to recycle Medical Textiles and Gowns
- How to recycle Prosthetics and Medical Implants
- How to recycle Pharmaceutical Bottles
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