1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to use of microwave energy to treat medical waste materials. Medical waste comprises a diverse mixture of materials which may include metal, glass, plastic, paper, various other organic materials. Further, many of these materials have been exposed to bacterial or viral pathogens.
Medical waste disposal presents multiple concerns. Foremost, medical waste represents a biological hazard. Accordingly, typically, medical waste must be sterilized through heat or chemical methods prior to its subsequent handling and disposal. Secondly, many components of the medical waste stream remain hazardous following sterilization. For instance, "sharps", such as syringe needles, scalpel blades, razors, glass pipettes, lances, and similar items remain a physical risk to waste handlers and create additional problems in waste packaging. Sharp objects within the waste can readily puncture bags or other containers used to segregate the waste.
Further, the sheer volume of medical waste contributes to the high cost of disposal. In recent years, there has been an increased reliance upon disposable, pre-sterilized instrumentation and supplies. As a result, there is a great deal of waste generated including plastic vials and containers, disposable surgical gowns and drapes, used dressings and gauze material, and similar high bulk waste materials. Such materials add greatly to the waste stream and the resulting disposal cost of medical waste.
Yet an additional problem relates to the large number of waste generating sites. Each doctor's office, clinic, veterinary facility, hospital, and other health care facility where patients are seen and treated generate medical waste. Heretofore, it has not been possible to effectively treat the waste at each location where generated. As a result, the waste has to be properly packaged, sterilized, and shipped to a subsequent disposal facility.
Finally, the traditional methods of handling medical waste have done very little to alter the form, structure, and physical identity of the waste. Recognizable medical waste is an obstacle to introducing medical waste into the normal sanitation waste stream. As a result, there is a need to alter the physical state of the medical waste so as to produce an unrecognizable, yet harmless waste product. Accordingly, there remains much room for improvement and variation within the art.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known in the art to use microwaves to sterilize and to further treat medical waste. U.S. Pat. No. 5,166,488 to Peppard, incorporated herein by reference, teaches an apparatus which uses microwaves to melt hypodermic syringes. U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,865 provides an apparatus for melting materials using microwaves. However, the efficiency of these microwave treatments are questionable in that these techniques result in the generation of gaseous and airborne particulates which require costly filtering and containment systems. As such, these systems are not suitable for small volume waste generators such as an individual medical office or clinic. Accordingly, there remains room for improvement within the art of microwave processing of waste.