Micro-Waste Installs New Treatment System at Ben Taub General Hospital

Micro-Waste installed a new moist heat disinfection system at Ben Taub General Hospital in Houston, Texas, a hospital that is part of the Harris County Hospital District (HCHD). The system was designed and manufactured by Micro-Waste Corporation^® through a long-term relationship with its local fabricator. Following installation, HCHD continued planned construction and modification to the dock area at Ben Taub to ensure segregation of the "clean" delivery (food, medical supplies, etc.) routes to Materials Management from "dirty" deliveries (solid waste, regulated medical waste, etc.). To support HCHD permitting in accordance with local building codes, Underwriters Laboratory performed an evaluation of the disinfection system and issued an approved field evaluated product mark. Prior to processing RMW, Micro-Waste performed a biological disinfection efficacy test using a standard disinfection test protocol of commercial Bacillus subtilis (Niger) [or Bacillus atrophaeus] spores as generally recommended by the State and Territorial Association on Alternative Treatment Technologies (STAATT).

The system provides the capability for treatment of all regulated medical waste (RMW) at Ben Taub. The capacity of the system is also sufficient to process the RMW from the other HCHD hospitals and clinics, in accordance with Texas regulations. The system is expected to provide a total operating cost (including labor, utilities, repair, maintenance, and waste disposal) of approximately 8 to 10 cents per pound, much less than the typical commercial medical waste transport and treatment costs of 15 to 30 cents per pound. With this system, HCHD can maintain positive control of their regulated medical waste removing the necessity to transport untreated waste on the roads of Houston and Texas.

1. Ben Taub dock area was prepared to receive the Micro-Waste™ Disinfection System.

2. Micro-Waste™Disinfection System was transported on a low-boy trailer.

3. The Micro-Waste™ Disinfection System was easily installed with a crane. Given the weight and size of the system, it could have been installed with a fork truck.

4. The Micro-Waste™ Disinfection System was set in the designed location for connection to imbedded power and water supplies. The system itself did not require attachment to the foundation.

5. The discharge screw shipped inside the Micro-Waste™ Disinfection System was installed to allow treated waste to be discharged to the waste container.

6. A temporary open top container was installed to allow for functional testing of system components.

7. The Micro-Waste™ Disinfection System was completely installed in less than 3 hours. The scale provides HCHD with gross weight and net weight of the waste processed to assist the hospital with regulatory reporting and to assist in monitoring hospital waste generation.

8. HCHD completed construction of dock area modifications to provide weather protection for personnel working in the waste mangement area.

9. Micro-Waste installed OSHA handrails for employee safety while performing maintenance activities.

10. Underwriters Laboratory (UL) performed a field evaluation of the system and provided an approved field evaluated product mark.

11. HCHD supervisory personnel operated the system during system component functional testing.

12. Routine solid waste was used for functional component testing and during biological disinfection efficacy testing.

13. HCHD operations and supervisory personnel received training and operated the system during component functional testing and during biological testing using routine household waste from Ben Taub.

14. Micro-Waste performed biological testing by inserting standard commercial biological test samples below the shredder.

15. Biological testing was performed in accordance with procedures established for more than 17 years for moist heat disinfection systems and in accordance with recommendations by the State and Territorial Association on Alternative Treatment Technologies (STAATT). Treated test samples (green results) were incubated with control test samples (yellow results) to ensure proper quality control of test samples and incubator operation.

16. HCHD operations and supervisory personnel received training on the operation of the system.

17. Following acceptable biological disinfection efficacy testing, the Micro-Waste™ Disinfection System began operation. Waste was discharged to a solid waste compactor for disposal at a local landfill in accordance with state and local regulations.

18. The waste from the Micro-Waste™ Disinfection System provided waste that was generally unrecognizable, reduced in volume by approximately 80%, and disinfected in accordance with applicable regulations.