CHBE446 Team 2: Heather Cook, Savannah Green, Mike
Wellen, Dave Weglein

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Introduction
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Market Analysis
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Current Uses
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Goals
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Process Outline
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Safety Considerations
Concluding Remarks

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According to the EPA: “Any solid waste that is generated in the diagnosis, treatment, or immunization of human beings or animals, in research pertaining thereto, or in the production or testing of biologicals” o Plastics, textiles, PVC o Biological material/waste o Glass (syringes) o Dressings livescience.com

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Medical Waste Tracking Act of 1988 o Cradle to grave tracking system o Management standards for segregation, packaging, marking, labeling, and storage of medical waste o Record keeping requirements & penalties for mismanagement
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Coalition for Safe Community Needle Disposal o Drop box/collection sites, mail-back programs, syringe exchange programs, at home needle destruction devices
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Specific state regulations o For MD regulations, visit www.mde.maryland.gov

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Yes!
o Hospitals, doctors offices, medical research facilities
 Seeking ways to cut costs o Several billion pounds of waste generated each year o Market for the products o Get paid to take the inputs holykaw.alltop.com

Company - Environmental Energy Resources
Uses “Plasma-Gasification-Melting” (PGM) technique o High conversion of waste to syngas, steam, and solids o Pyrolysis and gasification o Plants in Russia and Israel

Company - Energy-Inc o Pyrolysis (decompose organics w/o O
2 o Gasification (produce syngas w/o
) combustion) o Heat/energy o Syngas: 1,885,000 MMbtu/year o Biochar: 9,125 tons of biochar annually o Electricity: 22,000 kWh

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Switch from disposal to utilization
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Sterilize and recycle waste
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Create a cost effective process
Save money, preserve landfill space, follow regulations thecambelltimes.com

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Inputs: (~10 tons/day) o Gauze (99% collagen) o Plastic (syringes) o Gloves (latex) o Needles
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Outputs: o Steam o CO
2 o Possibly the syngas itself o Organic fertilizer ljworld.com

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Separate waste in specified containers (completed by medical facilities)
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Pick up waste and deliver to reutilization facility
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Send to reactor to turn into syngas
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Send to Thermal Residence Chamber, which keeps the gasification going
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Go through a heat recovery steam generator
Clean gas with APC equipment and send to be sold or combusted

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Heat exchangers
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Reactors
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Separators/scrubbers
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Pumps/compressors

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Personal protective equipment while handling waste and equipment
(goggles, mask, etc)
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Specified containers for different types of waste o Proper labeling
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Sterilization of product before reuse
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Controls in process
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Regulation of outputs
Caution - high temperatures and pressures cvcenvironmental.com

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Proper disposal of medical waste has been regulated since 1988
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Hospitals demand more cost effective waste treatment techniques o Emphasis on reusing the treated waste
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Medical waste can be turned into useful, profitable products such as steam, syngas, and fertilizers

http://www.epa.gov/osw/nonhaz/industrial/medical/ http://www.eer-pgm.com/_Uploads/dbsAttachedFiles/May_2011.pdf
http://www.energy-inc.com/technology/ http://rpn.baumpub.com/news/1599/new-conversion-processdesigned-to-eliminate-medical-waste-in-landfills http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261912002322 http://www.inentec.com/pemtm-technology/process-details.html