Evaluation of radiographic waste management in dental offices and radiology clinics of São Luís (MA)

Resumo

Lack of information continues to lead the professionals of
various areas to contribute to environment degradation, and Dentistry
is a potential source of contamination through chemical residues
resulting from radiographic procedures. Objective: To evaluate the
management of residues resulting from radiographic processing in
dental radiology clinics and dental offices in São Luís – MA, Brazil.
Material and methods: A semi-structured questionnaire was prepared
with the aim of characterizing the behavior of professionals and their
procedures for discarding the processing solutions (developer, fixer,
and water) and radiographic packing materials. A sample of 100
individuals represented 7.8% of the total number of 1,281 dentists
in the city of São Luís. Results: A total of 92% of the participants
believed that radiographic effluents could cause damage to the
environment. Concerning to the fixer discarding, 43% affirmed that
they threw the solution directly through the sink, 36% diluted the
fixer in water and threw it into the sink, 14% used a specialized
company to discard it and 7% used other means. The developer was discarded as follows: 42% threw it down the sink, 36% diluted
it in water before throwing it into the sink, 13% used a specialized
company to discard it and 9% used other ways. Considering to
the discarding of the packing of the radiographic films, 51% threw
them into the trash and 49% used a specialized disposal company.
Conclusion: Large portions of dentists do not discard radiographic
processing residues and films correctly.