Method and system for disposal of home generated medical waste and used healthcare materials

Abstract

Systems and methods for efficient and effective disposal of home healthcare waste are disclosed, where the systems and methods use a coupon to redeem a pre-paid shipping label for shipping a full home healthcare waste receptacle to a disposal facility via a courier or delivery service.

1  . A system for collecting and disposing of home generated used and/or unused medical and/or healthcare materials comprising:
 a container subsystem including:
 at least one collection and disposal container including:
 an outer identification member, 
 a middle shipping member, and 
 an inner used and/or unused medical and/or healthcare materials collection receptacle; 
 
 
 a shipping label subsystem including:
 a label generating unit for generating a shipping label for a delivery service, after the 
 shipping service redemption code is entered into the interface; and 
 
 a delivery service subsystem adapted to deliver via a delivery courier or delivery service to a full or partially full receptacle contained within the middle shipping member to a processing site or facility, where the middle shipping member has the shipping label affixed thereto. 
 
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the container subsystem further includes:
 a container purchasing subsystem, and   a coupon generating unit associated with a coupon issuing organization for generating   a coupon generating unit for generating a coupon having a shipping service redemption code.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the shipping label subsystem further includes:
 an interface for receiving the shipping service redemption code.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the container purchasing subsystem is a retail establishment or a pharmacy provider and the coupon generating unit is associated with a cash register subsystem of the retail establishment or the pharmacy provider. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the shipping label subsystem comprises a web-site, the interface is a computer, and the label generating unit is a printer, where the end-user access the website, enters the redemption code, and prints a printable shipping label. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the shipping label subsystem comprises a customer service number specified on the coupon, where the customer service provider redeems the coupon, prints a shipping label, and mails the label to the end-user. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a processing site or facility, where the a full or partially full receptacle contained within the middle shipping member is received from the delivery courier or service.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the processing site or facility further includes:
 a landfill, where the full or partially full receptacle contained within the middle shipping member deposited.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the processing site or facility further includes:
 an incineration unit, where the full or partially full receptacle contained within the middle shipping member are incinerated and a portion of the generate heat is used to generate electrical and/or mechanical work.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the processing site or facility further includes:
 an repurposing unit, where the full or partially full receptacle contained within the middle shipping member are repurposed into repurposed material, and an incineration unit, where the repurposed material is incinerated and a portion of the generate heat is used to generate electrical and/or mechanical work.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the processing site or facility further includes:
 an repurposing unit, where the full or partially full receptacle contained within the middle shipping member are repurposed into repurposed material, and   a cement plant, where the repurposed material is incinerated, a portion of the generate heat is used to generate cement, and the residue of the repurposed material becomes part of the cement clinker.   
     
     
         12 . A system for efficient and effective collection and disposal of home generated medical waste and used healthcare materials comprising:
 a kiosk including:
 a digital processing unit, 
 a display, 
 a user interface, 
 a coupon or shipping label dispensing unit or printer including a dispensing slot, 
 a payment unit including a payment input slot or reader and a receipt dispensing slot, 
 a container dispensing unit having a least one container comprising an outer 
 identification member, a middle shipping member, and an inner used and/or unused medical and/or healthcare materials collection receptacle, 
 a power source, and 
 electronic communication conduits interconnecting the components and the power source; and 
   a delivery service subsystem adapted to deliver via a delivery courier or delivery service to a full or partially full receptacle contained within the middle shipping member to a processing site or facility, where the middle shipping member has the shipping label affixed thereto,   where an end-user purchases a container from the kiosk, the kiosk generates a coupon and the end-user uses the coupon to obtain the shipping label.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the or shipping label dispensing unit or printer and the receipt dispensing unit comprises a thermal printer, a laser printer, an ink jet printer, or combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the payment input slot or reader is a cash slot, a card reader or both. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the two dispensing slots are the same. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , further includes; communication hardware and software for interaction with an intranet or the Internet. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the communication is via wires (high or low speed) or wireless. 
     
     
         18 . A method comprising the steps of:
 providing a container including an outer identification member, a middle shipping member, and an inner used and/or unused medical and/or healthcare materials collection receptacle,   purchasing a container,   filing the receptacle with used and/or unused medical and/or healthcare materials,   obtaining a shipping label,   affixing the shipping label to the middle member,   inserting the receptacle into the middle member, if it was removed,   depositing the middle member containing the receptacle with the delivery courier or service indicate on the shipping label, and   delivering the middle member containing the receptacle to a processing facility.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 after purchasing the container, generating a coupon including a shipping label redemption code, and   prior to the obtaining step, redeeming the coupon for a shipping label using the redemption code.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 landfilling the delivered middle member containing the receptacle,   incinerating the delivered middle member containing the receptacle and converting a portion of generated heat into electrical or mechanical work,   repurposing delivered middle member containing the receptacle into a repurposed material, or   repurposing delivered middle member containing the receptacle into a repurposed material and incinerating the repurposed material in cement plant to supply heat for cement production and where the residue of the incineration of the repurposed material becomes part of the cement clinker.