Sterilis introduces new method of handling regulated medical waste

BOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Sterilis unveiled an alternative to the decades-old method of hauling regulated medical waste by truck to be incinerated.

According to the company, the device uses steam sterilization and grinding technology to transform medical waste into a harmless confetti-like material, which can be disposed of in the general waste stream. Health clinics are among those who could have a demand for the product, the company added.

“The regulated medical waste industry has seen little innovation and still operates under an archaic approach of ‘haul and burn.’ Therefore, the industry is ripe for disruption with Sterilis’ new, safer, and more sustainable approach to treat and safely dispose of regulated medical waste, when and where it is generated,” said Bob Winskowicz, CEO of Sterilis. “The Sterilis device makes handling medical waste safer, protects healthcare professionals, reduces costs, time and labor, and reduces the need to incinerate medical waste. We’re excited by the response and customer demand for the Sterilis device as we enter a more aggressive growth phase and expand our sales and distribution footprint nationwide.”

Sterilis’s device uses a patented design that combines a steam sterilizer with a grinder and allows regulated medical waste to be treated on-site and on-demand at point-of-care in about 60 minutes. As a result of grinding the waste, the device reduces the volume of waste by 80%, and the sterilized confetti can be thrown out in the regular trash, stated Boxborough-based Sterilis. It includes software that tracks all regulatory data and stores it in the cloud, where it can be accessed and monitored at any time.