Dr. Allan Hablutzel’s dental office recently became certified as a 4-Star EnviroStar business. The EnviroStars program recognizes businesses for reducing and properly managing their hazardous waste.

Johanna D’Attilio, a dental assistant with Dr. Hablutzel, has been instrumental in putting together a comprehensive waste management, reduction, and education plan for the office. The office has reduced wastes and chemical exposure by using steam sterilization instead of glutaraldehyde to disinfect instruments and using less toxic cleaning products to clean x-ray processing equipment.

Additionally, purchased chemicals are kept to a minimum to avoid accumulating many different wastes, and product samples containing chemicals are not accepted from vendors unless unused portions can be returned. Procedures are in place for handling scrap amalgam, spent x-ray fixer, lead foils, and other hazardous chemicals.

Staff members are encouraged to think of ways to reduce wastes and Dr. Hablutzel educates his patients about environmental issues through the office newsletter and website.