System and method for treating infectious waste matter

Abstract

A system and method is provided for producing a safely disposable end product from waste matter containing undesirable materials, such as infectious, biohazardous, hazardous, or radioactive elements. The method comprises the steps of providing a highly alkaline solvent, immersing the waste matter containing the undesirable materials within the highly alkaline solvent, and heating the solvent. The waste matter containing the undesirable materials is allowed to remain within the solvent until digested, thereby forming a solution void of any infectious or biohazardous elements and / or containing a decreased concentration of radioisotope.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a Continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 201,121, filed Jul. 23, 2002, which claims priority to PCT application Serial No. PCT / US01 / 02319, filed Jan. 24, 2001 and U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60 / 178,051, filed Jan. 24, 2001. This application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 171,447, filed Oct. 20, 1998, titled “Methods for Treatment and Regulated Medical Waste,” which is incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to the field of waste disposal and, more particularly, to a system and method for the digestion and sanitary disposal of infectious waste material and other biohazardous or radioactive waste. BACKGROUND OF THE ART [0003] Many facilities, such as hospitals, various health-care facilities, research and teaching institutions, food preparation facilities, and the like, produce considerable amounts of infectio...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014] In another aspect of the invention, hazardous materials may be removed from the digest and separately disposed of in an appropriate manner, such as a specially designated landfill or an incineration facility. Paraffin or wax may be added to the RMW prior to or subsequent to the digestion cycle. Upon heating the materials, the paraffin or wax melts and becomes distributed through the aqueous solution. After the waste has been digested and the aqueous solution allowed to cool, the lipid-like materials separate out from and float to the surface of the solution where they re-solidify upon cooling to room temperature. Lipid soluble waste materials may then be removed from the aqueous phase upon separation of the lipid phase because they have become incorporated within the lipid phase. Thus, removing the lipid phase from the solution effectively removes lipid soluble hazardous materials not degraded or otherwise consumed in the alkaline treatment as well.

[0016] Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a system and method for safely treating and disposing of waste matter containing undesirable elements, such as infectious, biohazardous, hazardous, or radioactive elements or agents.

Problems solved by technology

Many facilities, such as hospitals, various health-care facilities, research and teaching institutions, food preparation facilities, and the like, produce considerable amounts of infectious, biohazardous, or radioactive waste.

Such waste may include surgical and pathological tissues, animal tissues, cadavers, blood and other bodily fluids, disposable matter exposed to blood, and other potentially infectious or dangerous body fluids of patients or animals.

In addition, universities and other research facilities likewise produce significant amounts of such waste.

Spent cleaning solution is considered hazardous liquid waste and must also be disposed of in compliance with governmental regulations.

The cost of disposing of such waste, on an institutional basis, can be quite high.

However, even when radioisotope concentrations are below this level, incineration may be further limited by state and local agencies.

However, to further complicate matters, the incineration of radioactive animal carcasses at any level is prohibited in certain major metropolitan areas.

Additionally, future increases in the requirements for incinerator designs and function under clean air regulations put in doubt the continued availability of incineration as a practical method for disposing of animal carcasses classified as LLRW or for any non-radioactive carcasses or human pathological waste.

Currently there are only two such sites in the United States, located at Hanford, Wash., and Banwell, S.C. Due to the limited number of land burial sites currently operating in the United States, it is extremely costly to dispose of any radioactive waste by this method; it is disproportionately costly for animal carcasses containing low level radioactive waste due to the size and weight of the carcass.

Due to the extremely high cost associated with land burial and the limitations on access to current sites, the feasibility of land burial as a method of disposing of animal carcasses classified as LLRW remains in doubt.

However, LLRW contained in animal remains are not readily capable of disposal through such means because the animals are naturally solid waste.

Furthermore, each is extremely costly, putting an unneeded drain on already strained research and waste management budgets of hospitals, universities and other institutions.

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