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William S. Middleton Memorial Veteran's Hospital
Elimination of Infectious
Waste Stream and Improved Operating Efficiencies of the Medical Waste Incinerator |
| Standard Industrial Classification
(SIC) |
General Medical and Surgical Hospital/8062 |
| Type of Waste |
Blood and body fluids collected during
surgical procedures. |
| Strategy |
Developed a pollution prevention plan to
reduce medical waste and modified the process by modified a process to manage infectious
waste streams. |
| Company Background |
The VA Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin
operates 127 acute care beds in 13 buildings. The VA hospital provides tertiary medical,
surgical, neurological, and psychiatric care as well as a full range of outpatient
services to a population of approximately 235,000 veterans in the area. The extensive
research program includes research in the areas of cancer, diabetes, geriatrics,
hypertension, infectious disease diagnosis, orthopedic surgery, pulmonary diseases,
quality of life/care assessment, and swallowing disorders. The hospital's 1996 research
budget was over $5 million. |
| Original Process |
All medical wastes generated at the
hospital had previously been disposed of by incineration with no deliberate attempts to
segregate non-infectious waste from the waste stream. Some waste streams are unavoidable
such as bulk blood and body fluids generated in the operating suite. These were collected
in canisters which were then transported from the 8th floor to another building on the
premises housing the incinerator. A number of employees were engaged to handle the
canisters of infectious from point of generation to final disposal. |
| Motivation |
The amount of waste being processed at the
VA hospital medical waste incinerator was increasing every year. Incineration of medical
waste is expensive and burning high moisture content items such as bulk blood and body
fluids causes more wear and tear on the incinerator, increasing maintenance costs. |
| Pollution Prevention Process |
The VA hospital, as a result other the
waste reduction audit, focused on the bulk blood and body fluids collected, as an area
that could realize cost savings through source reduction. Researching alternatives to
manage these wastes led the hospital to the sealed fluid siphoning device (SFSD). During
surgical procedures bulk blood and body fluids are collected in canisters. The filled
canisters are emptied into the SFSD. The SFSD evacuates the liquid wastes from the
canister and drains it into the sewer system where the mixed sewage is treated at a
publicly owned treatment works. This is an environmentally preferred option of treatment
since the biological processes will render infectious characteristics of wastewater
harmless. The empty canisters are processed in the incinerator. |
| Stage of Development |
The process has been in operation since
December of 1996. |
| Level of Commercialization |
The SFSD may be purchased through Deknatel
Incorporated. This technology is available to other businesses now. |
| Obstacles |
The VA hospital senior management had to be
convinced of the initial outlay of capital costs to install the equipment. Additional
education was needed to inform housekeeping and nursing staff about the benefits of using
the SFSD. |
| Material/Energy Balance |
| |
Description |
Old Process |
New Process |
| Feedstock |
regulated medical waste |
7800/lbs/year |
0 |
| Energy |
Natural gas fired incinerator used for RMW |
1872 ccf/year |
0 |
| Water |
water used to flush SFSD |
0 |
2,000 gallons used |
|
| Economics |
| Capital Costs |
Description |
Cost |
| New Equipment |
SFSD |
$9,950 |
| R&D Engineering; Start Up Training |
initial staff training to operate |
$50.00 |
| Utility Connections |
Plumbing connections |
$1,000 |
| |
Total Capital Costs |
$10,950 |
Operating Costs |
Description |
Cost
Old Process |
Cost
New Process |
Cost/Savings |
| Incineration costs labor, Fuel |
7,800 lbs/year of RMW @ .41/lb |
$3,198/year |
$0 |
$3,198/year |
| SFSD costs labor, POTW user fees |
7,800 lbs/year of RMW @ .06/lb |
$0 |
$488.00 |
-$488/year |
| Maintenance |
Decrease incinerator refractory damage by 10% |
$2,000/year |
$1,800/year |
$200/year |
| |
Total Operating
Costs/Savings |
$2,510/year |
Payback Period
The SFSD costs $.06/ pound to operate versus the incinerator that costs
$.25 /pound to operate. At the current rate of operation the SFSD will pay for itself in a
little over 4 years. |
| Benefits |
Canisters of liquid regulated medical waste
can be processed where they are generated, eliminating risks of exposures to stafe and
possible spills during transfers. Additionally, it was discovered that incinerator
operation could be rescheduled which resulted in further savings to treat infectious
waste. Before these scheduling changes it costs $.41/lb and now it costs $.25/lb. |
| Technology Transfer |
Any hospital or out-patient clinic setting
could use this technology to manage bulk blood and body fluid wastes. Further information
on the equipment is available from Deknatel Incorporated |
| Other Environmental Programs |
Prior to 1992, the hospital had no
recycling program. All waste was sent to the landfill. A recycling program was initiated
that separates paper, glass styrofoam aluminum steel cardboard, magazines, newspaper,
plastic, tires, oil and wood pallets. The program now annually generates $7,542.00 in
revenue, and resulted in a cost avoidance of over $12,000 a year in tipping fees if these
materials were landfilled. The hospital refurbished 52 old isolation carts and modified
them for use as recycling stations, which further encourages source separation, as well as
keeping the discarded equipment out of the landfill. |
| Company Address |
William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans
Hospital
2500 Overlook Terrace
Madison, Wisconsin 53705 |
| Contact Person |
Keith Bednar, Chief, Environmental and
Material Management Service
Telephone (608) 262-7045 |
| Pollution Prevention Resources |
Free, On-site Technical Assistance
University of Wisconsin Extension
Solid and Hazardous Waste Education Center
Milwaukee area: 414/475-2845
Remainder of state: 608/262-0385Environmental Assistance
Publications Order Form
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Bureau of Cooperative Environmental Assistance
608/267-9700 |
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Bureau of Cooperative Environmental Assistance
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
P.O. Box 7921
Madison, WI 53707
608/267-9700
PUBL-CO-082 |
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