Raise Funds For Your Youth Sports Team By Recycling Precious Metals From Local Dental & Medical Offices
If you are in charge of fundraising for your child's sport team, you may have already considered recycling metals. But what about recycling precious metals? While it can be difficult for people to part with jewelry and other things that contain precious metals, there are other ways to find them. Precious metals can be found in dental and medical devices and instruments. Here are a few things to know about how dental and medical offices in your area can help you reach your fundraising goals.
Silver in x-rays
X-rays are processed using silver. An x-ray is a plastic sheet that has a very thin coating of silver on it. During the processing of an x-ray, the silver is burned off when it is exposed to radiation or light. This burned silver is removed by the developing fluid. However, the silver that is not burned off remains on the x-ray film.
Dental and medical offices are required to keep their patient's x-rays for a specified number of years depending on the specific state laws. However, many authorities recommend the x-rays to be kept for 10 years. After that, the dental and medical offices can either keep the x-rays or dispose of them after removing identifying patient information in accordance to HIPAA requirements.
Locate a precious metal recycling company that specializes in recycling x-ray films and adheres to HIPAA laws. Ask your local dental and medical offices if they have any x-rays that are no longer needed. Tell them that you would like to recycle the x-rays through a reputable precious metal recycling company.
Gold in dental scrap and electronic equipment
Gold is often used in bridges, crowns and inlays in the dental field. When preparing these types of devices, there are often scraps that can be recycled. Additionally, dentists and denturists often remove old dental devices that their patients no longer need. Ask your local dental offices if they would be willing to set aside scrap, devices and items that contain gold and other precious metals for your fundraiser.
Gold can be found in circuit boards of electronic equipment. Since electronic equipment is regularly updated in dental and medical facilities, these facilities may have a collection of out-dated and unused electronic equipment. Speak with representatives of these types of facilities in your area about the possibility of contributing the old, unused equipment to your fundraiser.
If so, take the equipment in solid pieces to your recycling facility. Do not attempt to tear apart the electronic equipment to part out the circuit boards for the gold. Currently, there are 25 states that have laws regarding electronic waste and how they are disposed of when recycled. Therefore, it's best to let the professionals do it at the recycling facility.
Platinum in dental devices, surgical tools, and generators
Platinum is sometimes mixed with other precious metals, such as silver and gold, to produce alloys for dental devices. A smelter can separate the various precious metals by heating them in a process called cupellation.
Surgical tools, such as tongs and scalpels, often contain platinum. As with electronic equipment, these types of devices are often updated. Platinum is used in making surgical tools because the metal has anti-corrosive qualities so it holds up well under extreme conditions.
This is also the reason platinum is used in catalytic converters in diesel and gas operated engines. Since most dental and medical facilities have generators to provide for emergency electricity, you may find a facility or two that has old generators that can be recycled for the platinum in the catalytic converters.
When you find dental and medical practices that are willing to assist you in your fundraising endeavor, include the names of the contributors in mailings and printed materials as a way to say, "Thank you," for their help in reaching your fundraising goal. Check out sites like http://www.midstatesrecycling.com for more info on recycling and melting down metals.