System and method for treating infectious waste matter

Abstract

In accordance with the present invention, a system and method is provided for producing a safely disposable end product from waste matter containing undesirable materials, such as infectious, biohazardous, hazardous, or radioactive elements. The method comprises the steps of providing a highly basic solvent, immersing the waste matter containing the undesirable materials within the highly basic solvent, and heating the solvent. The waste matter containing the undesirable materials is allowed to remain within the solvent until digested, thereby forming a solution void of any infectious or biohazardous elements and/or containing a concentration of radioisotope below the maximum permissible concentration (MPC) for release to a sanitary sewer as defined in applicable federal regulations. The invention further provides a system for producing a safely disposable end product void of any infectious or biohazardous elements and/or containing only a concentration of radioisotope below the MPC for release to a sanitary sewer as defined in applicable federal regulations from waste matter containing such materials. The system comprises a tank or vessel capable of containing a highly basic solvent during a closed digestion reaction, heating means for heating the solvent within the vessel, filtering means, and means for removing the post-digestion aqueous solution and solid waste materials from within the vessel. The post-digestion product in both aqueous and solid form can then by disposed of by conventional means.

1 . A system for digesting or neutralizing biologically hazardous materials by subjecting them to a controlled alkaline hydrolysis cycle to generate a sterile resultant suitable for conventional sanitary or land application disposal, said biologically hazardous materials comprising organic tissue, biohazardous or hazardous agents and regulated medical waste, said system comprising:
 (a) means for receiving the biologically hazardous materials, said receiving means being capable of forming a closed reaction vessel;   (b) means for determining the weight of the biologically hazardous materials received within said vessel and for generating weight output data;   (c) means for controlling the operation of the system, for receiving and considering the weight output data generated by said weight determining means in determining the appropriate amounts of water and alkali compound to introduce into the interior of the vessel;   (d) means for introducing water within the interior of said vessel in an amount determined by said control means based on the weight output data;   (e) means for introducing an alkali compound within the interior of said vessel in an amount determined by said control means based on the weight output data; and   (f) means for heating the interior of the vessel to a first predetermined temperature level after the introduction of water and alkali compound into the interior of the vessel for a duration sufficient to produce a safely disposable resultant.