System and method for waste volume reduction and capture

A waste-volume reduction system, comprising:

• a feeder chute having an intake end, an output end, an interior, and an exterior, the feeder chute configured to channel waste through the interior, wherein at least the intake end of the feeder chute is rotatable about a first axis;
• a shredder assembly, the shredder assembly comprising:
• a housing having a length, a top having a first opening, a bottom having a second opening, and a wall extending between the top and the bottom, wherein the first opening of the top is positioned proximate to the output end of the feeder chute and aligned with at least a portion of the interior of the feeder chute so as to accept waste from the feeder chute;
• a shaft extending within the housing along the length of the housing, the shaft rotatable about a second axis, the shaft positioned between the top and the bottom of the housing;
• a plurality of blades attached to the shaft, the plurality of blades comprising at least a first blade and a second blade, wherein the first blade is rotationally offset about the second axis on the shaft from the second blade, so as to shred the waste into shredded pieces when the shaft rotates;
• and
• a plurality of cleaning arms attached to the interior of the housing and positioned such that at least a portion of the plurality of blades passes between two or more of the cleaning arms when the plurality of blades is rotated within the housing by the shaft;
• an anti-bacterial agent reservoir positioned proximate to the shredder assembly and configured to contain one or more anti-bacterial agents, the anti-bacterial agent reservoir having an applicator configured to disperse the one or more anti-bacterial agents from the anti-bacterial agent reservoir onto the shredded pieces of the waste;
• an exit chute having an entry end aligned with the second opening of the bottom of the housing of the shredder assembly so as to accept the shredded pieces of the waste from the shredder assembly, the exit chute having an exit end configured to dispense the shredded pieces of the waste;
• and
• a drawer and a removable box within the drawer, the removable box having a lid, the drawer configured to contact and move the lid of the removable box to a closed position when the drawer is opened.

A method for waste-volume reduction, comprising:

• feeding waste into a feeder chute having an intake end, an output end, an interior, and an exterior, the feeder chute configured to channel the waste through the interior, wherein at least the intake end of the feeder chute is rotatable about a first axis, wherein the output end of the feeder chute comprises one or more ball bearings;
• rotating the output end of the feeder chute utilizing the one or more ball bearings in order to accept waste into the feeder chute;
• shredding the waste into shredded pieces with a shredder assembly, the shredder assembly comprising:
• a housing having a length, a top having a first opening, a bottom having a second opening, and a wall extending between the top and the bottom, wherein the first opening of the top is positioned proximate to the output end of the feeder chute and aligned with at least a portion of the interior of the feeder chute so as to accept the waste from the feeder chute;
• a shaft extending within the housing along the length of the housing, the shaft rotatable about a second axis, the shaft positioned between the top and the bottom of the housing;
• a plurality of blades attached to the shaft, the plurality of blades comprising at least a first blade and a second blade, wherein the first blade is rotationally offset about the second axis on the shaft from the second blade, so as to shred the waste into the shredded pieces when the shaft rotates;
• and
• a plurality of cleaning arms attached to the interior of the housing and positioned such that at least a portion of the plurality of blades passes between two or more of the cleaning arms when the plurality of blades is rotated within the housing by the shaft;
• dispersing one or more anti-bacterial agents from a reservoir positioned proximate to the shredder assembly, the reservoir having an applicator configured to disperse the one or more anti-bacterial agents from the reservoir onto the shredded pieces of the waste;
• and
• dispensing the shredded pieces of waste from an exit chute having an entry end aligned with the second opening of the bottom of the housing of the shredder assembly so as to accept the shredded pieces of the waste from the shredder assembly, the exit chute having an exit end configured to dispense the shredded pieces of the waste.

A method for waste-volume reduction, comprising:

• feeding waste into a feeder chute having an intake end, an output end, an interior, and an exterior, the feeder chute configured to channel the waste through the interior, wherein at least the intake end of the feeder chute is rotatable about a first axis;
• shredding the waste into shredded pieces with a shredder assembly, the shredder assembly comprising:
• a housing having a length, a top having a first opening, a bottom having a second opening, and a wall extending between the top and the bottom, wherein the first opening of the top is positioned proximate to the output end of the feeder chute and aligned with at least a portion of the interior of the feeder chute so as to accept the waste from the feeder chute;
• a shaft extending within the housing along the length of the housing, the shaft rotatable about a second axis, the shaft positioned between the top and the bottom of the housing;
• a plurality of blades attached to the shaft, the plurality of blades comprising at least a first blade and a second blade, wherein the first blade is rotationally offset about the second axis on the shaft from the second blade, so as to shred the waste into the shredded pieces when the shaft rotates;
• and
• a plurality of cleaning arms attached to the interior of the housing and positioned such that at least a portion of the plurality of blades passes between two or more of the cleaning arms when the plurality of blades is rotated within the housing by the shaft;
• dispersing one or more anti-bacterial agents from a reservoir positioned proximate to the shredder assembly, the reservoir having an applicator configured to disperse the one or more anti-bacterial agents from the reservoir onto the shredded pieces of the waste;
• dispensing the shredded pieces of waste from an exit chute having an entry end aligned with the second opening of the bottom of the housing of the shredder assembly so as to accept the shredded pieces of the waste from the shredder assembly, the exit chute having an exit end configured to dispense the shredded pieces of the waste, wherein the exit chute is positioned to dispense the shredded pieces of waste into a box having a lid in an open position, the box positioned in a drawer, the drawer having a catch mechanism;
• and
• opening the drawer thereby causing the catch mechanism to pull the lid of the box to a closed position.