Waste recycling project in dental offices

Introduction: recycling is a process that aims to convert waste into new products after having undergone various sorting processes.

Objective: to characterize the recycling process in dental offices.

Method: a narrative review of the available literature was carried out using the synthetic and historical-logical analytical methods, using articles published in the period 2018 to 2023.

Results: worldwide, one of the main environmental problems lies in the generation of solid waste, as a consequence of globalization and unnecessary consumption of products and services. Many wastes can cause substantial damage, which are considered as hazardous due to the different characteristics that their generation comes from the different economic activities and that present a risk potential that negatively impacts human health and the environment. Disposable materials with plastic parts, bottles, single-use supplies and materials containing chemicals such as lead and mercury should be subject to regulations that allow their redesign based on eco-friendly standards. The use of the 3Rs rule is necessary for environmental protection.

Conclusions: The promotion of recycling in the dental area is of utmost importance, since it helps to reduce the impact of contamination by reducing the disposal of materials with a long degradation time, managing that these materials can be reused and thus reducing the environmental impact.