Method of sorting regulated drug waste
First Claim
1. A method for sorting waste items using a restricted access disposable container system for medical waste items, the method comprising:
- providing at least one medical waste sorting system, wherein said medical waste sorting system comprises a plurality of container compartments, each container compartment configured to receive a removable container;
providing a plurality of removable containers, wherein the removable containers are configured to be placed within the container compartments;
wherein each of the plurality of removable containers is sized to have an internal volume of about 1 gallon to about 20 gallons;
wherein each of the removable containers is associated with at least one of a plurality of waste categories;
wherein at least one of the removable containers comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag;
wherein at least one of the container compartments comprises a radio frequency (RFID) reader;
wherein the RFID reader is configured to read the RFID tag to determine a container position within the waste sorting system or the waste category of the container;
providing a scanner configured to determine a barcode of a waste item;
wherein the waste item is a regulated drug;
providing a control system that compares information obtained from the barcode with waste item classification information;
assigning the waste item to at least one waste category;
identifying one of the removable containers based on the waste category;
sorting said waste by automatically opening the identified removable container to move to the open position to permit disposal of said regulated drug;
wherein the identified removable container is disposable;
rendering the regulated drug inaccessible once said regulated drug has been disposed in the identified removable container; and
locking said identified removable container in a closed position.
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Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for disposing of medical waste is generally configured to sort waste items into a plurality of containers according to applicable rules and regulations governing the handling and/or disposal of such items. In one embodiment, at least one of the medical waste items is a regulated drug that is regulated by, for example, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The regulated drug is inaccessible once disposed in the container. In some embodiments, a system comprises sorting stations each of which houses a number of disposable containers. Each station can identify an item of waste, determine the most appropriate container for the item, and facilitate disposal of the item in the appropriate container. In some embodiments, a detection system for determining a presence and/or a quantity of waste items within a container is also provided. In some embodiments, access to discarded waste items is restricted once the waste items have been placed in a container.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for sorting waste items using a restricted access disposable container system for medical waste items, the method comprising:
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providing at least one medical waste sorting system, wherein said medical waste sorting system comprises a plurality of container compartments, each container compartment configured to receive a removable container; providing a plurality of removable containers, wherein the removable containers are configured to be placed within the container compartments; wherein each of the plurality of removable containers is sized to have an internal volume of about 1 gallon to about 20 gallons; wherein each of the removable containers is associated with at least one of a plurality of waste categories; wherein at least one of the removable containers comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag; wherein at least one of the container compartments comprises a radio frequency (RFID) reader; wherein the RFID reader is configured to read the RFID tag to determine a container position within the waste sorting system or the waste category of the container; providing a scanner configured to determine a barcode of a waste item; wherein the waste item is a regulated drug; providing a control system that compares information obtained from the barcode with waste item classification information; assigning the waste item to at least one waste category; identifying one of the removable containers based on the waste category; sorting said waste by automatically opening the identified removable container to move to the open position to permit disposal of said regulated drug; wherein the identified removable container is disposable; rendering the regulated drug inaccessible once said regulated drug has been disposed in the identified removable container; and locking said identified removable container in a closed position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for sorting waste items using a restricted access disposable container system for medical waste items, the method comprising:
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providing at least one medical waste sorting system sized to fit in a single room, wherein said medical waste sorting system comprises a plurality of container compartments, each container compartment configured to receive a removable container; providing a plurality of removable containers, wherein the removable containers are configured to be placed within the container compartments; wherein each of the plurality of removable containers is sized to have an internal volume of about 1 gallon to about 20 gallons; wherein each of the removable containers is associated with at least one of a plurality of waste categories; wherein at least one of the removable containers comprises a machine readable identification key; reading said machine readable identification key to determine a container position within the waste sorting system or the waste category of the container; providing a scanner configured to determine a barcode of a waste item; wherein the waste item is a regulated drug; providing a control system that compares information obtained from the barcode with waste item classification information; assigning the waste item to at least one waste category; identifying one of the removable containers based on the waste category; sorting said waste by automatically opening the identified removable container to move to the open position to permit disposal of said regulated drug; wherein the identified removable container is disposable; rendering the regulated drug inaccessible once said regulated drug has been disposed in the identified removable container; and locking said identified removable container in a closed position. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification