Small-footprint systems, components, and methods for sterilizing medical waste

A biomedical waste treatment assembly comprising:

• a shredder;
• an ozone generator;
• and
• a cylindrical-like waste treatment chamber having first and second opposing ends defining a length dimension, with the first end arranged to receive shredded biomedical waste from the shredder, and positioned at a height lower than that of the second end to define an incline angle of at least 40 degrees, the chamber including:
• a set of one or more ozone injection points coupled to the ozone generator and distributed along a length dimension of the chamber;
• an auger having first and second auger ends arranged to convey shredded waste along the length dimension from the first end toward the second end of the chamber;
• and
• a partition positioned between the second auger end and the second end of the chamber, the partition dividing the chamber into a treatment portion and an exit portion, with the partition having at least one opening for allowing treated waste to move from the treatment portion to the exit portion, the opening having a cross-sectional area that is at least 20 percent less than that of a surrounding portion of the chamber, and the exit portion inclined to bias waste therein toward the partition;
• and
• means for establishing and maintaining relative humidity within the chamber in excess of 70%.

A biomedical waste treatment assembly comprising:

• a shredder;
• an ozone generator;
• and
• an inclined waste treatment chamber having lower and upper ends positioned to define a length dimension and an incline angle of at least 20 degrees, with the lower end arranged to receive shredded biomedical waste from the shredder;
• a set of two or more ozone injection points coupled to the ozone generator and distributed along a length of the chamber;
• an auger positioned at least partly within the chamber to convey shredded waste from a lower portion of the chamber toward the upper chamber end, the auger having a lower auger end positioned adjacent the lower chamber end and an upper auger end positioned adjacent the upper chamber end;
• and
• a partition dividing the chamber into a treatment portion and an exit portion, with the partition positioned between the upper auger end and the upper chamber end and having at least one opening for allowing ozone treated waste to move from the treatment portion to the exit portion via operation of the auger, with the at least one opening having a cross-sectional area that is at least 20 percent less than-that of a portion the chamber surrounding the partition and the exit portion inclined to bias treated waste therein toward the partition and thereby inhibit ozone passage through the at least one opening.