Micro-Waste^® Installs New Treatment System at Largest County Hospital District

Micro-Waste^® installed a new moist heat disinfection system at the largest hospital district in Texas. Following installation, the District continued planned construction and modification to the dock area 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 the District's 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 atrophaeus [or Bacillus subtilis (Niger)] spores at a 6 log₁₀ disinfection level, 100 times greater than the 4 log₁₀ 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 the major hospital at which it is installed. The capacity of the system is also sufficient to process the RMW from the other District hospitals and clinics, in accordance with Texas regulations. The system provides 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, the District can maintain positive control of their regulated medical waste removing the necessity to transport untreated waste on the roads of Texas.

1. The dock area was prepared to receive the Micro-Waste^® Disinfection System^® (MDS^®) Treatment 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 the District 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. The District completed construction of dock area modifications to provide weather protection for personnel working in the waste management 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. District 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. District operations and supervisory personnel received training and operated the system during component functional testing and during biological testing using routine household waste from the hospital.

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. District 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.