THE NETCARE STORY
Dave Harris
General Manager: Disposal
Pikitup Johannesburg (Pty) Ltd.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Dave Harris, General Manager of Disposal and Incineration Division, has 27 years experience in the Waste
Industry and has been involved with Health Care Risk Waste from the start of the introduction of the existing
sharps and cardboard bin systems. Mr. Harris is a Registered Engineering Technician at the Engineering
Council of South Africa and completed a Diploma in Transport and Mechanical Engineering at RAU and
Witwatersrand Technicon.
THE NETCARE STORY
On 1 June 2003 Pikitup started the new 240ℓ bin system at the Garden City Clinic that is part of the Netcare
Group.
THE 240ℓ BIN SYSTEM
The new system utilizing the 240ℓ bins will incorporate a closed loop system. A full tracking system will be
utilized to monitor the whole process from the time of filling and scaling the full containers to collection,
transportation and incineration of the Health Care Risk Waste. This system was installed at the Garden City
Clinic and the pilot project started on 1 June 2003.
Benefits:
 Elimination of multi-handling of waste
 Monitoring: cradle to the grave
 Capital savings e.g. boxes
 Secure receptacles
 Transportation
 Ease of monitoring
 Robust re-usable containers
 Reduced air pollution during incineration
1. CLOSED LOOP SYSTEM
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Transport – Incinerator trucks fetching bins from hospital.
Storage of empty bins at designated areas at hospital.
Ward – transporting waste from wards to bins.
Internal storage of bins – Sluice room.
Internal movement of full bins to pick-up point.
Storage of full sealed bins to be picked up by incinerator trucks.
Weighing of full bins on portable scale on truck.
Transport to incinerator.
Weighing again of full bins at incinerator as part of security check.
Incineration of contents of bins.
Washing and disinfecting of bins.
2. COLLECTION OF SEALED FULL BINS
Before the bins were collected by Pikitup they were weighed at the hospital using a portable scale and
the data was downloaded by e-mail to the administrative control office. However, it was found that a
duel system to check the weighing was needed. This system was put in place and after a few weeks it
was found that the system was reliable and accurate.
3. TRANSPORTATION
The bins were then transported in specially designed vehicles to the incinerator and on arrival at the
incinerator, they were re-weighed and then the contents incinerated.
4. INCINERATION
BIN LIFTER – This technology has the ability to automatically lift two 240ℓ bins at a time. Teething
problems were experienced at the bin lifter, however, these were sorted out and the system ran
smoothly.
TRAINED OPERATOR – The operators were fully trained in standard operating procedures in
compliance with the Occupational Health & Safety Act of 1993.
SECURITY – The bins were kept in a secure environment and were only unsealed at the incinerator. It
was found that both sides of the bins had to be sealed, this was done as a matter of urgency to solve the
security problems.
5. WASHING
By washing the 240ℓ bins in a wash booth, full chemical sterilization ensured that the bins were
disinfected and complied with the hospitals’ strict S.O.P. before any container was returned to the
hospital facilities
SWAB TESTS – Periodically swab tests were conducted on the 240ℓ bins to ensure effective
sterilization.
6. DELIVERY OF SEALED CLEAN BINS
The disinfected bins were sealed with white cable ties, which indicated that the 240ℓ bins had been
sterilized, and were kept in a secure environment until utilized.
TRANSPONDER SYSTEM
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1.1
Utilising of a Medical Waste Disposal Tracking System.
The following equipment was provided by Opto Africa (Pty) Ltd & WaveTrend (Pty) Ltd.
On-Board Vehicle Computer System
Radio-frequency Identification Tags
Tag Readers
Host Management Communication Software
Geographical Information Management Software
Vehicle Components
The following equipment was mounted on the vehicle:
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1.2
Data Communications Device
WaveTrendTM Reader
Scale Communication Device
Hospital/Clinic Components
An electronic platform scale was utilized at the designated collection point of the Netcare 911 hospital. Each
waste container’s mass and ID was automatically recorded as and when the operator placed the container
on the scale.
1.3
Weighbridge Components
This reader was connected to the existing weighbridge database system (WinBridge TM ), and the Driver ID
and Truck ID together with the Total Nett Mass were automatically recorded from the load once the vehicle
crossed the weighbridge.
1.4
Incinerator Components
A reader was mounted at the Robinson waste disposal site’s incinerator, close to the entry point of the
furnace.
For the Pilot Project this reader was connected to a laptop computer and automatically recorded the waste
container ID together with the individual Nett Mass of the load once the bin was emptied into the furnace.
1.5
Wash-bay/Decontamination Components
This reader was connected to head office computer system and automatically recorded the waste container
ID after the container had been washed and decontaminated.