October, 25, 2013, Bucharest WORKSHOP WORKSHOP Microwaves ecofriendly alternative for a safe treatment of medical waste International Symposium „PRIORITIES OF CHEMISTRY FOR A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT” PRIOCHEM Dr. eng. Săndica Liliana Gherghe IMNR, Pantelimon, ROMANIA October, 15, 2013 Workshop

LIFE+ PROGRAM PROJECT TITLE MEDWASTE PROJECT TITLE: Microwaves ecofriendly alternative for a safe treatment of medical waste – MEDWASTE PROJECT CONSORTIUM: PROJECT CONSORTIUM:  INCDMNR – IMNR (Pantelimon, ROMANIA) - Co-ordinating beneficiary  INCDMIC (Bucharest, ROMANIA) - Associated beneficiary  AMK (Gabrovo, BULGARIA) - Associated beneficiary October, 25, 2013, Bucharest Workshop

PROJECT LOCATION: PROJECT LOCATION: Romania, Bulgaria BUDGET INFO: Total amount: € EU Co-funding: € DURATION: Start: 01/09/ End: 31/10/2013 October, 25, 2013, Bucharest Workshop

MEDWASTE philosophy as LIFE+ project Healthcare waste management and treatment – one European and national priority tasks. The project aims to demonstrate a technically and economically feasible and less environmentally harmful alternative to treatment of medical waste. The general objective: to contribute to the implementation, updating and development of Community environmental policy and legislation in the field of medical waste processing. The main specific objective: elaboration of technical documentation based on demonstrative and innovative technology and equipment developed during the project implementation as basis of the policies designed to ensure sustainable management and treatment of medical waste. October, 25, 2013, Bucharest Workshop

5 INTRODUCTION TO MEDWASTE The project has been implemented within 26 months. TASK 1: Reviewing and evaluating of medical waste management on local and national level in Romania and Bulgaria and assessment the existing medical waste treatment technologies. Comparative analysis with EU existing waste management practices and legislation; TASK 2: Designing, assembling and testing the proposed innovative and demonstrative pilot system (prototype) for medical waste treatment. Preparing of the necessary infrastructure. Executing and testing of demonstrative prototype; October, 25, 2013, Bucharest Workshop

6 INTRODUCTION TO MEDWASTE TASK 3: Implementing pilot testing of the innovative and demonstrative pilot system (prototype); TASK 4: Preparing of the documents to certificate the technology. Elaborating of business plan for the marketing of pilot system (prototype); TASK 5: Project management and reporting; TASK 6: Communications and Dissemination. October, 25, 2013, Bucharest Workshop

7 INNOVATIV-DEMONSTRATIV CONCEPT OF THE PROJECT The proposed approach involves the construction of an innovative- demonstrative pilot (prototype) and to demonstrate the efficiency of this safe and economically method and equipment. The present development is intended for the achievement of a safe treatment of DHW (Dangerous Health Waste) by a modern ecological method for thermal treatment, by using high frequency waves without any use of steam and pressure. October, 25, 2013, Bucharest Workshop

8 The essence of the developed innovation is as follows: the use of industrial generators of micro-waves–magnetrons, which generate high frequency field in the chamber of the apparatus, thus destroying the pathogens in the waste. INNOVATIV-DEMONSTRATIV CONCEPT OF THE PROJECT October, 25, 2013, Bucharest Workshop

9 PROJECT BENEFITS Low maintenance costs; Low maintenance costs; Low operating costs Low operating costs, with the following unique benefits:  Low consumables prices;  Reusable containers;  No external source of steam or reactive needed;  No transport expenses due to the in place treatment technology;  Low specific energy needed per unit of medical waste (30-50% from the costs of incineration or autoclaving);  Short time for total treatment ( % compare with incineration or autoclaving necessary time). 9 October, 25, 2013, Bucharest Workshop

PROJECT BENEFITS EfficiencyEfficiency - high efficiency of the process, due to uniform heating directly of the waste, on both: inside and outside of surface, and due to the effects of the microwave heating and radiation; SafetySafety - minimal risk of transmission of infectious agents to personnel or device operator, using polyfunctional containers (for collecting, transport and treatment) and automatic process, eliminating hand manipulation risks; Environmentally cleanEnvironmentally clean - very good efficiency, no other waste, cheep processes safty for the people that means clean realistic and sustainable solutions for medical waste treatment. October, 25, 2013, Bucharest Workshop

11 Study regarding the management and treatment of medical waste; Assessment the technological, environmental and economic effects of the proposed method for treatment medical waste; Design, construction and testing of innovative-demonstrative pilot; 11 October, 25, 2013, Bucharest Workshop PROJECT RESULTS

Pilot experiments under real working conditions in the medical unit; Organizing technical and scientific events: round tables, workshops, seminars; 12 October, 25, 2013, Bucharest Workshop

Development of materials for dissemination of project results: 13 October, 25, 2013, Bucharest Workshop PROJECT RESULTS

Participation in dissemination activities: technical fairs; workshops and conferences; launch 2013 session of Programme LIFE October, 25, 2013, Bucharest Workshop PROJECT RESULTS

15 THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION! QUESTIONS?DISSCUSIONS? October, 25, 2013, Bucharest Workshop