Treatment Methods

**Three forms of Medical Waste Treatment Disposal are utilized with Oklahoma Medical Waste. An appropriate method is chosen by OKMW along with the generator of Regulated Medical Waste.**

Medical Waste Services System:  An Alternative Treatment Technology

No Atmospheric Pollution – As a non-burn steam heated treatment system, released dioxins and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are avoided.

Source of Treatment – The waste is exposed to 215º-240º F direct steam for up to one hour.

Minimal Chemical Impact – Each time the unit dumps a waste cart, a very small amount of bleach and water is sprayed into the cart dumper.  The use of bleach in the system is approved by the USEPA, FIFRA branch for compliance with USEPA standards, and does not have a negative impact on the environment.

Positive Environmental Impact– Treated waste volume is reduced by up to 90% producing a light weight, solid municipal waste, minimal landfill impact and no soil, water, or air pollution.

Integral Shredding Process – Applies live steam impingement to the homogeneous waste stream.  Efficacy does not rely on conduction through bulk liquids or insulated layers of bags or boxes.

Incineration

According to the EPA, 90% of medical waste is incinerated. Incineration is the controlled burning of the medical waste in a dedicated medical waste incinerator. Among industry insiders, these units are often referred to as hospital/medical/infectious waste incinerators (HMIWIs).

The waste passes through the incinerator on a belt, and because most medical waste can be incinerated, the waste is not sorted or separated prior to treatment. Incineration has the benefit of reducing the volume of the waste, sterilizing the waste, and eliminating the need for pre-processing the waste before treatment. The incineration process can be applied to almost all medical waste types, including pathological waste, and the process reduces the volume of the waste by up to 90%.

Autoclaves

Autoclaves are closed chambers that apply both heat and pressure, and sometimes steam, over a period of time to sterilize medical equipment.

Medical waste that is subjected to an autoclave is also subjected to a compaction process, such as shredding, after treatment so that it is no longer recognizable and cannot be re-used for other purposes. The compaction process reduces the volume of the treated waste significantly. After treatment and compaction, the treated waste can be combined with general waste and disposed of in traditional manners.