Private Approach To Medical Waste Disposal
Medical waste disposal has become a multi-million-pound global industry. Alongside government bodies and aid agencies, the private sector has established itself to bridge the gaps wherever they may appear.
In this instance, Aquakleaner S.A, based in Ecuador, is already a successful waste disposal operation specialising primarily in wastewater, sewage, septic tanks and grease traps. After working with several municipalities, they initially planned to build their own water treatment plant for domestic and industrial water. This plan eventually evolved once they discovered a need for sustainable medical waste disposal in Ecuador due to a lack of accessible medical incinerators.
Recognising the opportunity to establish and operate a privately managed clinical waste disposal site as well as the financial and environmental benefits that this will bring. Aquakleaner selected one of their existing sites in the coastal region of Manta to convert to become their first medical disposal site.
Having chosen their location and begun work on redeveloping the site to be suitable for the change of use into a waste disposal site, they set about researching exactly what machine would be able to meet all of the requirements and, most importantly, who they could trust to supply it. Following intense research, the owner of the family-run business, Bolivar Fuentes contacted us to begin the journey.
Although we are almost 6,000 miles away, they were able to receive a service as if they were just down the road. One reason why we consistently succeed in supplying machines internationally is our commitment to communication. This project was managed by our leading international sales rep Eduardo Sierra Torres, originally from Colombia. A multilingual expert able to communicate natively in Spanish as well as understanding the geographic and economic differences across South America, allowed for an almost effortless sales experience for the customer.
During the decision-making process, Bolivar was taken on several virtual tours around the factory and was able to see similar machines in production including several MP500, C100 and C200 models in production, all with Venturi systems. Confident with what we had shown that Addfield were the right choice Bolivar placed his order for one of our most requested Clinical incinerators, the C200.
Due to the mixed medical content expected to be processed through the C200, additional filtration was required in the form of our Venturi Flue Gas Scrubber. These ensure that only clean gases are released back into the environment. Medical waste comes in many forms, and once sorted, it is expected that a range of waste materials, including plastics, will be present. Due to the impact that burning plastic can have, the Venturi is a highly effective scrubbing system. Pulling the gasses through a series of chambers alongside integrating high-speed water jets and neutralising chemicals, any toxins, acids and furans are stripped from the gases, ensuring a final result which protects the community through meeting all environmental rules and regulations wherever it is located.
In addition to clean air, ease of operation was also a factor. Having a throughput capacity of up to 200 kilograms an hour, automated loading was an essential choice. In this instance, a pneumatically operated ram charger plus bin tipper allows continuous loading throughout the incineration cycle. The tipper securely lifts bins up to 200Kg capacity removing the risks to operators from heavy lifting and potential contamination.
The final addition to this machine was the option for dual fuel operation as well as traditional Diesel fuel; this installation is complete with a waste oil burner, which can take spent oils and fuels from the hospitals, health centres and other facilities. This further aids the environment by removing toxic used oils from the environment whilst dramatically reducing the amount of fuel required to operate, successfully offsetting the carbon footprint of the site.
This is the first of such installations in Ecuador, but it is not expected to be the last. Aquakleaner has exciting plans for the future and is already working to prepare its next site in another region in Ecuador. Having a growing population and an increased commitment to environmental security and economic sustainability, the demand for such flexible disposal systems is only set to grow after the success of this custom site is seen.
