Management of dental waste in Shahrekord, Iran

Solid dental waste is a major contributor to the spread and development of diseases. This study was performed to determine the quality and quantity of solid dental waste and to evaluate management practices in dental offices of Shahrekord, Iran. Thirty general dental offices out of 49 dental centres in Shahrekord were randomly selected. The study was performed through observation, consultation, and evaluation of policies and regulations. Then, the wastes were classified based on their characteristics and hazard potentials. The findings showed that domestic and infectious waste accounted for the highest percentage of dental waste, while toxic and chemical/pharmaceutical waste was responsible for the lowest percentage in all offices. Domestic, infectious, chemical/pharmaceutical, and toxic wastes accounted for 69.7%, 22.5%, 7.2% and 0.6% of all dental waste, respectively. Overall, no effective measures were taken in dental offices for waste separation, minimisation, or recycling. Based on our findings, recycling/reuse is the optimal waste minimisation method. Also, it is suggested to hold educational workshops in order to increase the staff's knowledge in dentistry care centres