Medical waste processor and processing method

Abstract

An apparatus for processing medical waste including: (i) a drum defining a substantially cylindrical treatment chamber having a closed end and an open end, wherein the drum is rotationally balanced about a rotational axis; (ii) an enclosing body supporting the drum so that the drum can be rotated within the body about the rotational axis of the drum, the body having an opening for accessing the open end of the drum; (iii) a movable barrier for selectively closing the opening for accessing the open end of the drum; (iv) a structure for supporting the enclosing body so that the pitch of the rotational axis of the drum is positioned or can be positioned in at least one position between about 0 degrees and about 30 degrees; and (v) a chemical generator for generating a germicidal agent operatively connected to introduce the germicidal agent into the enclosing body.

1 - 70 . (canceled) 
     
     
         71 . A method of treating medical waste with an apparatus,
 (A) wherein the apparatus comprises:
 (i) a drum defining a substantially cylindrical treatment chamber having a closed end and a substantially open end, wherein the drum is rotationally balanced about a rotational axis; 
 (ii) an enclosing body supporting the drum so that the drum can be rotated within the body about the rotational axis of the drum, the body having an opening for accessing the open end of the drum, wherein the opening is located substantially in a plane perpendicular to the rotational axis of the drum; 
 (iii) a movable barrier for selectively closing the opening for accessing the open end of the drum; 
 (iv) a structure for supporting the enclosing body so that the pitch of the rotational axis of the drum is positioned or can be positioned in at least one position between about 0 degrees and about 30 degrees; and 
 (iv) a movable mounting for the enclosing body operatively positioned between the enclosing body and the structure for supporting the enclosing body such that the pitch of the rotational axis of the drum can be selectively moved; and 
   (B) wherein the method comprises the steps of:
 (i) moving the enclosing body such that the pitch of the rotational axis of the drum is between about 10 degrees and about 30 degrees and such that the opening is oriented at least partially upward to facilitate loading of medical waste at least partially downward into the treatment chamber; 
 (ii) loading medical waste through the opening into the treatment chamber; 
 (iii) positioning the movable barrier to close the opening; 
 (iv) moving the enclosing body such that pitch of the rotational axis of the drum is between about 0 degrees and about 10 degrees; 
 (v) introducing into the treatment chamber a germicidal agent; and 
 (vi) rotating the drum to agitate the medical waste with the germicidal agent. 
   
     
     
         72 . The method according to  claim 71 , wherein the step of loading medical waste into the treatment chamber further comprises: pouring the medical waste from a bin through the upwardly oriented opening for accessing the open end of the drum and into the treatment chamber. 
     
     
         73 . The method according to  claim 71 , wherein the step of loading further comprises: rotating the drum about the rotational axis of the drum so that the treated medical waste is rotated upward on an inner wall of the drum and then tumbles by gravity farther down into the treatment chamber of the drum. 
     
     
         74 . The method according to  claim 73 , wherein the step of loading further comprises: rotating the drum at least one-half of a revolution about the rotational axis in one rotational direction and rotating the drum at least one-half a revolution about the rotational axis in the opposite rotational direction. 
     
     
         75 . The method according to  claim 71 , wherein the step of moving the enclosing body such that the pitch of the rotational axis of the drum is between about 0 degrees and about 10 degrees further comprises: moving the enclosing body such that the pitch of the rotational axis of the drum is substantially 0 degrees. 
     
     
         76 . The method according to  claim 71 , the method further comprising the steps of:
 (vii) moving the movable barrier to reopen the opening; and   (viii) moving the enclosing body such that the pitch of the rotational axis of the drum is between about 10 and about 30 degrees and such that the opening is oriented at least partially downward to facilitate unloading of medical waste at least partially downward from the treatment chamber; and   (ix) unloading the treated medical waste from the treatment chamber.   
     
     
         77 . The method according to  claim 76 , wherein the step of unloading further comprises: rotating the drum about the rotational axis of the drum so that the treated medical waste is rotated upward on an inner wall of the drum and then tumbles by gravity out of the open end of the treatment chamber of the drum and to the outside of a lower edge of the opening in the enclosing body. 
     
     
         78 . The method according to  claim 77 , wherein the step of unloading further comprises: rotating the drum at least one-half of a revolution about the rotational axis in one rotational direction and rotating the drum at least one-half a revolution about the rotational axis in the opposite rotational direction. 
     
     
         79 . The method according to  claim 71 , further comprising the step of: collecting the medical waste into a bin for transport to the apparatus. 
     
     
         80 . The method according to  claim 76 , wherein the step of unloading further comprising: unloading the medical waste that has been treated in the apparatus into a bin for transport to a non-medical waste collection area for disposal as non-medical waste. 
     
     
         81 . The method according to  claim 71 , wherein the apparatus further comprises: a plurality of rotationally-balanced blades positioned inside the drum, whereby when the drum is rotated, the tumbling of the medical waste in the treatment chamber onto the blades ruptures containers and bags of the medical waste. 
     
     
         82 . The method according to  claim 81 , wherein the blades are positioned on an inside wall of the drum. 
     
     
         83 . The method according to  claim 81 , wherein the blades are adapted to rupture disposal containers for needles or syringes that may be present in the medical waste when the drum rotates at a speed to tumble the medical waste in the treatment chamber. 
     
     
         84 . The method according to  claim 71 , wherein the enclosing body is fluid-tight, the movable barrier is fluid-tight, and wherein the apparatus further comprises: a fluid-tight seal operatively positioned between the enclosing body and the removable barrier, whereby the enclosing body is fluid tight when the movable barrier closes the opening for accessing the open end of the drum. 
     
     
         85 . The method according to  claim 84 , wherein the wherein the apparatus further comprises: a vent to the atmosphere. 
     
     
         86 . The method according to  claim 85 , wherein the vent is closed while germicidal agent is introduced into the treatment chamber. 
     
     
         87 . The method according to  claim 71 , wherein the step of introducing into the treatment chamber a germicidal agent further comprises the step of: introducing a germicidal agent having at least a sufficient effectiveness in at least a sufficient concentration under conditions at least sufficient to achieve “Level W Microbial Inactivation.” 
     
     
         88 . The method according to  claim 71 , wherein the germicidal agent comprises chlorine dioxide. 
     
     
         89 . The method according to  claim 71 , further comprising the step of:
 heating the medical waste in the treatment chamber.   
     
     
         90 . The method according to  claim 89 , wherein the step of heating the medical waste further comprises: introducing superheated water or steam into the treatment chamber. 
     
     
         91 . The method according to  claim 71 , further comprising the step of: after the step of agitating the medical waste with the germicidal agent in the treatment chamber; neutralizing any residual germicidal agent with a neutralizing fluid. 
     
     
         92 . The method according to  claim 91 , wherein the germicidal agent comprises chlorine dioxide and the neutralizing fluid comprises a sulfite. 
     
     
         93 . The method according to  claim 71 , further comprising the step of: recycling germicidal agent for use in a subsequent treatment of another batch of medical waste. 
     
     
         94 - 99 . (canceled)