Sec. 1. 38 MRSA §1661, sub-§§1-A and 1-B are enacted to read:

1-A.__Amalgam separator system.__"Amalgam separator system" means a device that removes dental amalgam from the waste stream prior to its discharge into the local wastewater disposal system and that meets the standards published by an international organization for standardization that are in effect on the effective date of this subsection.

1-B.__Dental amalgam.__"Dental amalgam" means a mixture of silver and mercury used to restore dental integrity.

Sec. 2. 38 MRSA §1667, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 779, §2, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

§1667. Dental procedures

1.__Prevention plan.__By July 15, 2002, the department shall work with dentists and other interested parties to develop a pollution prevention plan for mercury from dental procedures that provides for reasonable measures to reduce mercury pollution from dental procedures and related sources.__The plan must include options and strategies for implementing source reduction.

2.__Dental office defined.__For purposes of this section, "dental office" means any dental clinic, dental office or dental practice, but does not include the practice of oral and maxillofacial surgery.

3.__Amalgam separator system required.__No later than December 31, 2004, a dental office that, in the course of treating its patients, adds, removes or modifies dental amalgam must install an amalgam separator system in the wastewater line in accordance with the following:

A.__Wastewater containing dental amalgam particles must pass through the amalgam separator system prior to discharge to either a publicly owned treatment works or a private septic or waste disposal system, and waste containing dental amalgam must be collected from the amalgam separator system and disposed of in a manner satisfactory to the department;

B.__Once the amalgam separator system has been installed, the dental office must notify the department in writing:

(1)__Of the type of system installed;