NEW YORK STATE APPROVED ALTERNATIVE RMW TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES

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NEW YORK STATE APPROVED ALTERNATIVE RMW TREATMENT
TECHNOLOGIES
Sally M. Patterson
Regulated Medical Waste Program Coordinator
New York State Department of Health
Wadsworth Center
Albany, New York
[phone] [phone] (Fax)
smp10_at_health.state.ny.us
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MEDICAL WASTE TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES

• INCINERATION
• AUTOCLAVES
• SEWERAGE SYSTEM
• ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES

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ALTERNATIVES TECHNOLOGIES

• LOW HEAT TREATMENT SYSTEMS
• - Steam/Heat
• - Microwave
• - Electro Thermal
• HIGH HEAT TREATMENT SYSTEMS
• - Plasma Arc
• - Thermal Depolymerization
• CHEMICAL TREATMENT SYSTEMS
• - Sterilants and Solidifiers
• - Alkaline Hydrolysis

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ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF INCINERATION
Advantages
Disadvantages Volume Reduction
High Investment
Costs Weight Reduction
High Operating Costs Waste
Unrecognizable Air
Pollutant Emissions Suitable for All Waste
Types Public Opposition
Heat to Energy Recovery
Bottom and Fly Ash Residue
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ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF AUTOCLAVES
Advantages
Disadvantages Low Investment Cost
Waste Appearance Unchanged
Low Operating Costs Waste
Volume Unchanged Ease of Quality Control
Unsuitable All Waste Types
Limited Environmental Hazards Potential Air
Emissions Widely Accepted Technology
Ergonomic Concerns
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ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF LOW HEAT
TREATMENT
Advantages
Disadvantages Waste
Unrecognizable
High Investment Costs Volume Reduction
Unsuitable for all
Waste Types Limited Liquid Discharge
Slight odor Minimal Emissions
Shredder
Interference Possibility Automated/Easy to Use
Prolonged
Treatment Cycle
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ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF HIGH
HEAT TREATMENT
Advantages
Disadvantages Volume
Reduction High
Investment Costs Weight Reduction
High Operating Costs
Waste Unrecognizable Air
Pollutant Emissions Treats All Waste Types
Suitable for Only Large
Operations Heat to Energy Recovery
No Track Record
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ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF CHEMICAL
TREATMENT
Advantages
Disadvantages Rapid Treatment
High Investment Costs Waste
Unrecognizable Unsuitable For All
Waste Types Volume Reduction
Potential Air Emissions Waste
Deodorization
Ergonomic Concerns
Suitable For Small Generators
Chemical Storage Required
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OFF-SITE TREATMENT

• Transport, storage, treatment and disposal
  services
• provided by waste management firms and haulers
• Potential Liability
• Occupational Injury
• Roadway Accidents Spills
• Transport Regulations

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ON-SITE TREATMENT

• SELECT AGENTS
• STATE REQUIREMENTS
• - SITE NOTIFICATION
• - OPERATIONAL PLAN
• - VALIDATION PROTOCOL

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TRANSPORT COSTS

• 20 cents/lb. Untreated medical waste
• 7-9 cents/lb. Treated medical waste
• 4-5 cents/lb. Solid waste
• Hidden Hauling Costs

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ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGY COST COMPARISON
PROCESS TECH VENDOR
COST LOW HEAT THERMAL Autoclave
San-I-Tec 26,000-500,000 Autoclave/Shred
Tempico 382,000 Steam/Shred/Chemical
Sterile Tech. Industries 367,000-427,000 Steam/
Shred WPS Company 200,000 Dry-Heat
Univec 4,000 MICROWAVE Microwav
e Treatment Sanitec
500,000-600,000 Microwave Treatment CMB
45,000 CHEMICAL Sodium Hypochlorite
Circle Medical Products 295,000 1N Sodium
hydroxide WR2 365-000-420,000 HIGH
HEAT THERMAL Plasma Pyrolysis Startech
Environ. Tech 600,000 1 Million Plasma
Pyrolysis Integrated Environ.
Tech. Thermal Depolymerization Changing
World Tech.