Waste receptacle

A waste cart, comprising:

• a base housing;
• a center upright body which has a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end being secured to said base housing;
• a top housing secured to said distal end of said center upright;
• wherein said base housing, center upright body, and top housing each is formed of a material that is amenable to disinfectant in the hospital environment and has surfaces contoured for easy cleaning in the hospital environment;
• wherein said top housing has at least two separate disposal openings for two waste portions including a first waste portion the opening of which is large enough to receive waste that is typically in the hospital environment;
• and a second waste portion the opening of which is large enough to receive waste that is typically in the hospital environment;
• and
• wherein the waste cart further comprises,
• a barrier separating the first waste portion from the second waste portion;
• and
• a metal detector and an indicator system operationally associated with each said waste portion which provide a notification when a metal item passes near or through a said opening for said waste portion;
• wherein said metal detector is oriented perpendicular to the passage of waste;
• wherein an electronics module operates each metal detector independently of one another or in tandem;
• and
• wherein an alarm indicator is operationally associated with said electronics module and is activated when the electronics module detects the passage of a metal item through said disposal opening for either the first or second waste portion.

A method for detecting metallic objects as they pass through a waste cart including the steps of:

• (a) providing a waste cart comprising:
• a base housing;
• a center upright body which has a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end being secured to said base housing;
• a top housing secured to said distal end of said center upright, said top housing having two or more disposal openings for two or more separate waste portions including,
• a first waste portion which has a first metal detector and an indicator for providing a notification when a metal item passes through a said opening;
• and
• a second waste portion which includes a second metal detector and an indicator for providing a notification when a metal item passes through a said opening;
• an electronics module which operates each metal detector independently of one another;
• and
• an alarm indicator operationally associated with said electronics module which is activated when the electronics module detects the passage of a metal item through a said opening of either the first or second waste portion;
• (b) activating the electronics module and metal detectors;
• (c) collecting waste generated during a procedure by placing the waste through said disposal openings into either the first or second waste portion;
• (d) activating said alarm indicator in the event that one of said metal detectors indicates the passage of a metallic object though a detection field;
• (e) retrieving said metallic object from said first or second waste portion;
• and
• (f) repeating steps (b) through (e) until the desired waste is collected.