The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) updated their dental effluent guidelines in 2017. Amalgam separators are now required pretreatment standards to reduce discharges of mercury from dental offices into publicly owned treatment works (POTWs).  EPA expects compliance with this final rule will annually reduce the discharge of mercury by 5.1 tons as well as 5.3 tons of other metals found in waste dental amalgam to POTWs.