Quantity analysis of solid waste in the dentistry offices in birjand, 2017

Among the medical wastes, dental wastes have a high diversity and due to its high contents of hazardous, toxic, and pathogenic agents, therefore these wastes are of great importance. The aim of this study was to investigate and analyze the amount of waste produced in dentistry offices in Birjand. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 48 dental offices in the city of Birjand were studied. Sampling was carried out by environmental health experts in three consecutive working days (Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday) from every center. The Samples were divided into 5 categories such as semi-domestic, infectious, chemical-pharmaceutical, toxic and sharp material, Separated and weighed using a laboratory scale. Information was expressed as percentage by weight. Based on the results, the total amount of waste produced in dental offices in Birjand was 7848.02 kg / year. percentages of semi-domestic, infectious, chemical-pharmaceutical, sharp material, and toxic wastes were 54.3%, 29.7%, 11.8%, 3.9% and 0.11% respectively. Considering the high volume of dental waste, especially infectious and hazardous materials, the need for separation and recycling in the office is evident. It is necessary to manage the wastes and their separation and recycling in source place