Detachable canisters for use with dental amalgam separation and recycling systems

A detachable container suitable for mating securely with an air-water separation tank, said detachable container having a top mating surface comprising a container inlet port and a container outlet port wherein the two ports are asymmetrically located along a central axis defining a diameter of the top mating surface, with the first port located closer to the center of the top mating surface than the second port, and the second port located closer to an outer rim of the top mating surface,

• said air-water separation tank comprises a bottom mating surface, said bottom mating surface comprising a reciprocal arrangement of an effluent outlet port, and a conduit providing for discharge of liquid effluent from the detachable container after solid amalgam has collected at the bottom of the detachable container;
• wherein said reciprocal arrangement permits alignment of the container inlet port with the effluent outlet port from the air-water tank, and alignment of the container outlet port with the conduit, such that the top mating surface of said detachable container can be mated securely with the bottom mating surface of said air-water separation tank upon such alignment of the top mating surface of the detachable container with the bottom surface of the air-water separation tank.