Staff recommends the City Council approve the new Article 26-800, Billings, Montana City Code (BMCC).

Article 26-800, BMCC, Dental Amalgam outlines basic requirements for dental amalgam management for existing and future owners and operators of dental facilities and offices established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Point Source Category 40 CFR Part 441.  EPA determined the primary source of mercury pollution in the environment is from dental amalgam waste.  Adoption of BMCC, Article 26-800 will provide the City authority to manage and enforce dental practices that remove, repair, and place amalgam fillings.  A public hearing and first reading of the ordinance was held on February 8, 2021.

City Council may:

• City Council's second / final reading approval will provide local authority guidelines to monitor and enforce the Dental Amalgam Rule, beginning March 22, 2021.
• If not approved, the City would be required to rely solely on EPA's 40 CFR Part 441 to enforce the dental office point source category.

There is minimal financial impact to the City to adopt Article 26-800, BMCC.  As the Control Authority, the City is required to enforce the dental amalgam rule with or without this new BMCC section.  If the City needs to enforce the dental amalgam rule, it will be more efficient with the new code section.