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SYSTEMS FOR IDENTIFYING AND CATEGORIZING MEDICAL WASTE

  • US 20100213250A1
  • Filed: 02/12/2010
  • Published: 08/26/2010
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2003
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An electronic system for identifying and categorizing waste, the system comprising:

  • at least one sorting station comprising a plurality of containers;

    a plurality of removable liners, wherein each of said containers is adapted to receive at least one of said liners,wherein each of said containers and said liners has an opening;

    wherein each of the liners comprises a machine-readable identification key associated with at least one of a plurality of waste categories such that the machine-readable identification key identifies the liner to the control system, thereby defining a category of waste to be placed in the liner within the container;

    a closure member adapted to movably cover each of said removable containers;

    wherein the closure member is selectively movable to an open position and a closed position;

    wherein each of the liners is associated with at least one of a plurality of medical waste categories, thereby facilitating disposal of medical waste items in the appropriate liner;

    a handheld device configured to provide disposal instructions to a user, said handheld device comprising a scanner and a user input device for receiving information regarding a medical waste item;

    wherein the scanner is configured to detect a first parameter of a medical waste item, said first parameter comprising information regarding a composition of such medical waste item;

    wherein the user input device is configured to receive a second parameter regarding the medical waste item, said second parameter comprising at least one of whether the medical waste item is a sharps and whether the medical waste item or a container containing such medical waste item is empty; and

    a control system configured to compare information obtained from the handheld device with medical waste item classification information contained in a database;

    wherein the control system is further configured to assign the medical waste item to at least one medical waste category; and

    wherein the control system is further configured to identify the appropriate container on the handheld device; and

    wherein the closure member is adapted to cover the appropriate container is configured to lock in the closed position after receipt of the waste item.

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