title: Investigating solid waste production and associated management practices in private dental units.
abstract: In the municipality of Thessaloniki in 2006 mercury-bearing dental wastes were not managed properly by 80% of dentists and metal-bearing waste was handled in accordance with internationally established best management practices by less than 50% of dentists. Those results were documented through a biennial field-based research study that took place in private dental units within the Thessaloniki Urban Area. For quantifying the waste produced, structured questionnaires were used and interviews with dentists were performed. In the present work, results of this survey are presented; critical parameters and factors affecting the quantity and quality of the dental waste stream are reported together with the analysis and classification of dominant conditions and needs of the dental sector in the waste management field.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Heat Transfer and Environmental Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Box 483, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece. matina@aix.meng.auth.gr
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kontogianni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Xirogiannopoulou
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karagiannidis
mesh_terms: D002947:Cities; D003625:Data Collection; D018057:Dental Waste; D003813:Dentistry / Q000379:methods; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal / Q000379:methods*; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D018505:Waste Management / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D018057:Dental Waste; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal