Dental amalgam separation and recycling system

A dental amalgam separation system for removing and collecting particles from a dental liquid effluent drawn by means of a vacuum, comprising:

• (a) an air-water separator tank for receiving said effluent, said air-water separator tank having an air-water separator tank inlet in fluid communication with a vacuum external to the air-water separator tank, an air-water separator tank liquid effluent outlet and an air-water separator tank air outlet;
• (b) a detachable collection container, said collection container acting primarily under the influence of gravity to cause sedimentation of said particles, and having a collection container inlet port detachably connected to said air-water separator tank liquid effluent outlet, and said collection container also having an effluent outlet port;
• (c) wherein the air-water separator tank further comprises a suction conduit;
• (d) wherein the collection container effluent inlet port and the collection container outlet port are not the same height;
• (e) wherein the collection container comprises one or more keyways cast into its outside top mating surface of said collection container;
• and
• (f) said air-water separation tank has one or more corresponding keys cast into its mating surface, such that the keys of the air-water separation tank must be aligned with the keyways of said collection container in order for said collection container and said air-water separation tank to mate securely.