Autoclave waste treatment systems – How can my facility benefit from an on-site medical waste treatment plant?

25-04-2023

Having an autoclave waste treatment system in place isn’t just about maintaining a safe working environment for medical staff and patients. It’s also about adhering to the strict legal environmental regulations that dictate that all medical facilities are responsible for the waste they generate.

In most cases, clinics and hospitals request the services of licensed medical waste disposal companies to transport the waste off-site.

But what if you could already render your own waste sterile without the use of a costly on-site incinerator?

In Celitron’s next article, we will tell you all about the benefits of using a high-tech autoclave waste treatment plant like our own patented ISS (Integrated Sterilizer and Shredder) system!

What is an autoclave waste treatment plant and what is its role in a medical waste management system?

The term “autoclave waste treatment plant” refers to any system that uses “steam sterilization” technology to treat medical waste. This is why autoclaves are also referred to as steam sterilizers.

The main reason why medical waste needs to be sterilized is simple: alongside methods like incineration, it’s the only way to make sure all potentially infectious materials are destroyed. However, compared to incineration, autoclaves are much more sustainable, since there is zero risk of harmful emissions. Not to mention that they are also easier to use, and their upfront and operational costs are also much lower. Last but not least: their installation is also much less complicated and doesn’t take as much time to be incorporated into a medical waste management system.

These machines come in all kinds of sizes and capacities, which is what defines how much waste can be loaded into the chamber of the machine. Once the waste has been loaded into the chamber, the waste will be subjected to high-pressure and high-temperature steam for a set amount of time. The exact amount of time needed to treat the waste depends on several factors, such as:

The amount of waste inside the chamber.
The size of the model being used (bigger models can process more waste in the same amount of time).
The type of autoclave being used (gravity or vacuum-based cycle).

Autoclaves that use vacuum-based cycles are faster and more versatile compared to gravity steam sterilizers. Hybrid autoclave models like Celitron’s ISS combine sterilization with shredding to treat particularly infectious waste that cannot be treated with the basic models.

The benefits of Celitron’s autoclave waste treatment plant – The ISS system

Celitron's ISS (short for Integrated Sterilizer and Shredder) is a high-tech on-site autoclave waste treatment system that is already present in more than 40 countries around the world. So how can this popularity be explained? How does it work, and what benefits can you expect?

Even more reliable sterilization thanks to shredding: By shredding medical waste, the steam can be even more thorough in sterilizing it by penetrating every single part of the load inside the autoclave’s chamber. This is crucial in the case of hazardous materials like sharps that cannot be reused. Since the waste will be completely sterile after the process, it can be thrown away like regular municipal waste, without the risk of propagating potentially serious infections.
Reducing waste volume: Celitron’s on-site autoclave waste treatment plant renders the sterilized waste and drains it of all liquids, and reduces the volume by up to 80%. The “end-product” that comes out of the machine is dry and compact, making it much easier for medical staff to handle it. This means you can also save on storage space. As an added bonus, the waste is completely odorless, and less dreadful in appearance.
Compact design with varying capacity chambers: Our autoclave waste treatment system can fit inside a standard shipping container, making the transportation and installation process much easier. This is how we were able to move our ISS waste treatment plant to different healthcare facilities around the world. Compared to the ISS on-site incinerators require much more space to be implemented into your waste management system. The Integrated Sterilizer and Shredders are also available with different capacity chambers (25, 150, and 560 liters) to suit the needs of clinics and hospitals of all sizes.
Cost-effective operation: Celitron’s autoclave waste treatment plant is a particularly cost-effective solution. Apart from being able to reduce your medical waste transportation costs, you can also count on lower maintenance and operational costs thanks to advanced water and energy-saving systems (which also complement its sustainable operation). With its high durability, you can expect to make a good return on your investment in the long run.
Sustainable operation: Our autoclave waste treatment system can reduce the overall environmental impact of the generation of medical waste at facilities since it provides a suitable alternative to incineration. The ISS also produces zero harmful emissions.
User-friendly and safe operation: The steam sterilization and shredding procedure of the ISS is completely automated and can be launched with the push of a button. Medical staff will require no special extensive treatment to be able to use it on a daily basis. Furthermore, Celitron has also implemented extra safety features that prevent anyone from opening the door of the ISS until the pressure and temperature inside the machine are still too high.

List of compatible and incompatible materials with Celitron’s autoclave waste treatment system

COMPATIBLE

Dialysis waste
Medical waste contaminated with blood or blood by-products
Discarded diagnostic samples containing blood and body fluids
Small metallic medical and surgical tools (such as scalpel blades)
Sharps and complete sharps containers
Syringes
Organic materials
Lab cultures and specimens
Glass, textiles, plastics

INCOMPATIBLE

Oversized metallic objects (like a pair of scissors)
Pharmaceuticals (expired or contaminated medicines, including vaccines)
Pathological waste (any identifiable human body part)
Chemical waste such as disinfectants
Genotoxic waste (cytotoxic medicines used for cancer treatment)
Radioactive medical waste (such as radiotherapy waste)

Celitron’s autoclave waste treatment system can be installed easily and doesn’t have sky-high operational costs. It also adheres to the guidelines set by the WHO and the EU.

Should you have any more questions about using our on-site waste treatment plant and our prices: just CONTACT THE CELITRON TEAM!