Environmental Protection Agency Dental Rule

The City of Newburgh is mandated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to verify that all dental facilities located within the City/Town of Newburgh, that contribute wastewater to the City of Newburgh Wastewater Treatment Plant which are likely to come into contact with amalgam waste, must treat their wastewater prior to discharge with an amalgam separator meeting certain specifications. Based on the City's research, a dental facility has been identified on your property. The dental facility must comply with the reporting requirements as per §40 CFR 441.50.

If your facility does not discharge wastewater to the City of Newburgh Wastewater Treatment Plant (i.e., if the wastewater is discharged to an on-site septic tank/leach field without a subsequent pickup and discharge to the City of Newburgh Wastewater Treatment Plant), then the Compliance Report is not mandatory in which case please fill out the Exemption Form (PDF) immediately. If the facility discharges to the City of Newburgh Wastewater Treatment Plant, please complete the One Time Compliance Form (PDF) immediately. Those facilities without an amalgam separator shall have one installed by July 14, 2020, and complete the One Time Compliance Form within 90 days, no later than October 12, 2020. Completed forms shall be submitted to the City Engineer at the address referenced atop this letter. These forms may also be downloaded from the City's website. Follow-up reporting is only required when new separators are placed in service. However, whenever a dental discharger transfers ownership of the facility, the new owner must submit a new One Time Compliance Report.

Any existing dental discharger subject to amalgam source must achieve the pretreatment standards as mentioned in §40 CFR 441.50 no later than July 14, 2020. Dental offices in business before July 14, 2017, with no separator installed previously, must install an amalgam separator by July 14, 2020, and submit their compliance form within 90-days of installation. Existing offices with an amalgam separator may continue operating their unit for the lifetime of the unit as recommended by the manufacturer, or until June 14, 2027, whichever comes first.

Please note that this form is not a permit and that the dental facility owner/operator is responsible for compliance with all other federal, state, and local regulations. Contact the City of Newburgh Engineer's Office at 845-569-7447 with any questions or in the event you are not the appropriate contact for the facility.

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