SterAssure receives approval to process medical waste in South Carolina

SterAssure Medical Waste Solutions, Greenville, South Carolina, has reportedly received approval from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) to process and sterilize medical waste.

In an article in Upstate Business Journal,  company officials say the technology reduces the carbon footprint by reducing the energy usage needed to sterilize the waste by 94 percent over incineration.

The company has reportedly been working with SCDHEC for over a year to receive approval.

SterAssure’s process heats water in a vessel that is loaded with medical waste. When the water reaches a certain temperature, a mechanism churns the waste with water penetrating all surfaces of the waste. When the water is drained from the tank, a large portion of the water goes into a holding tank where it stays warm and fresh water is added to it.

Owners say the finished waste product is more sterile than household water and it uses no chemicals, allowing it to be accepted into any landfill.