UPDATED: 4/24/96

 

                        BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR

                             DOCTOR/DENTIST OFFICE

   

Best management practices can be thought of as using "good housekeeping"   

practices.  Listed below are several procedures to operate your facility  

and minimize the risk of contamination to the environment.

   

1.    Facilities must not discharge any waste x-ray solutions to septic

            tanks, storm drains, or to the ground.  If the facility is served

            by sanitary sewers, the wastewater may be treated by an approved

            treatment system and the effluent may be discharged to the

            sanitary sewers if it meets applicable sewer standards (silver 0.4

            mg/l).  If your facility is served by septic tank these solutions

            may be picked up by a DERM approved transporter.

 

2.   All Biohazardous Waste (BHW) must be "red-bagged" and properly

            disposed of per Health Department Standards.  Biohazardous Waste

            may not be mixed with the regular trash.  If (BHW) is not treated

            on-site, a DERM permitted transporter must be used.

   

3.   Waste disposal

 

            a.   All hazardous waste must be disposed of via a permitted

                  hazardous waste transporter and taken to a federally

                  approved hazardous waste disposal facility.  Receipts of

                  all waste disposals and hazardous waste manifests must

                  be retained for no less than three (3) years, at the

                  generator's facility and be available for review.

     

      b.    In all situations where the waste is deemed to be

                  hazardous, a permitted hazardous waste transporter must

                  be used to transport the waste to a federally approved

                  hazardous waste treatment or disposal facility.  The

                  facility generating the hazardous waste is required to

                  obtain an Environmental Protection Agency identification

                  number unless classified as a conditionally  exempt

                  generator, by contacting:

                  

Bureau of Waste Planning and Regulation                  

Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection                    

Two Towers Office Building Room 471                           

2600 Blair Stone Road                      

Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400                              

(904) 488-4805

 

4.   Storage

 

              a.        Chemical storage areas must be on an impervious

                        surface with secondary containment or a bermed and

                        covered area away from drainage structures (e.g.

                        floor drains or storm drains).

 

    5.      Special attention should be paid to storm drain locations (also

            known as storm sewers).  Storm drains are designed to help

            alleviate rainwater build up.  These drains are not connected to

            the sanitary sewer system, but rather assist in allowing the

            rainwater to drain into the ground and groundwater.  Therefore,

            industrial discharges should not be allowed to drain into these

            storm drains.  Areas near storm drains must be kept free of oil,

            grease and other contaminates so that rainwater does not wash

            these materials into the storm drains.

 

All doctors and dentist operating X-ray machines are required to have   

Annual Pollution Control Operating Permits.

   

Questions will be answered by the Industrial Facilities Section staff   

at (305)372-6600.