Michael S. Gilmer and Dr. Michael Charlton accepting award
Texas Environmental Excellence Award - 2002
Comprehensive Dental Mercury Waste Minimization Initiative - Dentists commonly use mercury-containing amalgam as a filling material in teeth because it is versatile, inexpensive, and easy to use. Approximately 30 ons of mercury is released into the environment each year via dental health procedures, making it a major source of mercury contamination of waste water.
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio initiated a program to capture and rec ycle this mercury-bearing waste. In addition, the school established the first comprehensive program to educate current and future dentists, as well as the general public, regarding the hazards of mercury in the environmebnt. The program reduces pollution, promotes recycling, avoids generating waste, and increases environmental stewardship for dental professionals, now and in the future.
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is the proud recipient of the 2002 Texas Environmental Excellence Award given in Austin on May 7, 2002.
