FR2842111A1 - PROCESS FOR DECONTAMINATION OF WASTE AND BAG FOR IMPLEMENTING IT - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for decontaminating contaminated waste, in particular hospital or industrial waste, consisting in subjecting this waste to a determined decontamination temperature. This process is characterized by the fact that: said waste is introduced into a decontamination bag chosen in a thermoplastic material, the plastic melting point of which is lower than the decontamination temperature; - the said bag containing the waste is introduced into a sealed compactor while maintaining said bag under a determined or variable pressure; - the pressure is raised temperature of this bag by conduction up to the decontamination temperature. The invention also relates to a bag intended to contain contaminated waste and designed capable of implementing this decontamination process.

Description

The present invention relates, on the one hand, to a decontamination process

  contaminated waste, especially hospital or industrial, and, on the other hand, a bag intended to contain such

  waste and to implement said decontamination process.

  The invention relates to the field of decontamination of waste and, more particularly, the field of the manufacture of devices making it possible to carry out such decontamination and / or

  to be used during a decontamination process.

  It is already known methods for decontaminating hospital-type waste (for example syringes) and consisting in collecting such waste in a container, in particular a box specifically designed for this purpose, before proceeding with their disposal. incineration. Such incineration is usually carried out using a plasma device this in order to ensure effective decontamination of this waste. Such a method has a certain number of disadvantages consisting in that it requires, for its implementation, a specific and expensive device as well

  that a significant amount of energy.

  The present invention is intended to remedy the

  disadvantages of the devices and methods of the prior art.

  To this end, the invention relates to a process for decontamination of contaminated waste, in particular hospital or industrial, consisting in subjecting this waste to a determined decontamination temperature, characterized in that: - said waste is introduced into a chosen decontamination bag a thermoplastic material whose plastic melting temperature is lower than the decontamination temperature; said bag containing the waste is introduced into a sealed compactor while maintaining said bag under a determined or variable pressure; - the temperature of this bag is raised by conduction up to the

decontamination temperature.

  The present invention also relates to a bag intended to contain contaminated waste and designed capable of implementing this

decontamination process.

  The advantages of the present invention consist in that the waste bag is placed inside a compactor in which the bag is compacted and the volume to be treated is reduced, which makes it possible to optimize heat treatment of waste and bag. The fact of subjecting the bag containing waste to a decontamination temperature higher than the plastic melting temperature of this bag advantageously makes it possible, on the one hand, to decontaminate this waste and, on the other hand, to soften the bag which marries the shape of the waste and traps this waste in a protective film which has a corresponding small volume,

  substantially, to that of said waste.

  Other objects and advantages of the present invention

  will appear during the description which follows relating to

  to embodiments which are given only by way of examples

indicative and not limiting.

  Understanding this description will be facilitated by

  referring to the attached drawing in which: - Figures 1 to 5 correspond to the different stages of the decontamination process according to the invention; - Figure 6 corresponds to a schematic view, from the side and

section of a bag according to the invention.

  The present invention relates to the field of waste treatment, more particularly hospital or industrial waste, and will find an application when it comes to ensuring

  decontamination of this waste.

  This invention relates to a method for decontaminating contaminated waste 1, in particular hospital or industrial, consisting in subjecting this waste 1 to a determined decontamination temperature. This process is characterized by the fact that: - said waste 1 is introduced into a decontamination bag 2 chosen from a thermoplastic material whose plastic melting temperature is lower than the decontamination temperature; - Introducing, into a sealed compactor 3, said bag 2 containing the waste 1 while maintaining said bag 2 under a determined or variable pressure; - The temperature of this bag 2 is raised by conduction to the decontamination temperature. According to another characteristic of the invention, the method also consists, after introduction of the bag 2 into the compactor 3, to compact the bag 2 containing the waste 1 so as to evacuate, at least in part, the air contained in the bag 2 and in the waste 1. This makes it possible, subsequently, to carry out an optimal heat treatment of this bag 2 and of the waste 1, more particularly by conduction, this in the presence of a small volume of air. It will be observed that, during or after compaction, there is ensured an evacuation, out of this compactor 3, of part of the air contained in this compactor 3 and constituted, at least in part, by

  air initially contained in bag 2 and waste 1.

  In this regard, it will be noted that the evacuation of the air is done through a germ-tight filter so that the latter

  remain trapped in compactor 3.

  Another characteristic of the invention consists in that the pressure under which the bag 2 is kept, is between 2

  and 7 bars, preferably of the order of 4 bars.

  Yet another characteristic relates to the fact that the temperature at which the bag 2 is raised, is greater than 1100, of

preferably around 1400.

  It should be observed that the waste 1 initially contains a certain amount of water and that, by increasing the temperature in the compactor 3, this water is transformed into saturated water vapor capable of ensuring a decontamination, more particularly of the bag 2 and of the waste 1 which

are contained therein.

  In addition, through this rise in temperature, the bag 2 softens, follows the shape of the waste 1 and traps the latter in a protective film 4 capable of defining a

hermetic envelope.

  In this regard, it will be observed that when the temperature rises or when it has reached the decontamination temperature, the method according to the invention can, again,

  include an additional compaction phase.

  The last step of the method according to the invention consists in cooling the bag 2 which hardens to be in a solid state. The present invention also relates to a bag 2 intended to contain contaminated waste 1 and designed capable of implementing this

decontamination process.

  Such a bag 2 can take different shapes and have different sections (ovode, polygonal, cylindrical as shown in Figure 6). It is delimited by at least one wall 5 and comprises,

possibly a background 6.

  According to another characteristic, the wall or walls 5 of this bag 2 and, optionally its bottom 6, are defined by a stack of

layers of plastic materials.

  According to a preferred embodiment, such materials

  plastics are defined by polyamide and / or polyethylene.

  In fact, such a stack consists of at least one layer of polyamide, oriented towards the outside of the bag 2, and covered by at least one layer of polyethylene oriented towards

inside this bag 2.

  In this regard, it will be observed that a layer of such a plastic material has a thickness of between 30 and 400 microns,

  preferably between 50 and 200 microns.

  In fact, a polyamide layer has a thickness between 50 and 70 microns, preferably approximately equal to 60 microns, while a polyethylene layer has a thickness between 160 and 200 microns, preferably approximately equal to 180 microns. In addition, such a bag 2 may include means arranged to ensure its closure, this in a non-hermetic manner. Such closure means can be defined by a flap, a closure with

  slide or groove-rib.

  It should be observed that such a bag 2 can be produced in different ways, in particular by modeling through a die. However and according to a preferred embodiment, such a bag 2 is produced by cutting pieces from a film (constituted by a stack of layers of plastic materials) which are

  assemble, in particular by heat sealing.

  Although the invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment, it is understood that it is in no way limited thereto and that it is possible to make various modifications to the forms, materials and combinations of these. various elements, without

  for this to move away from the framework and the spirit of the invention.

Claims (9)

  1) Method for decontaminating contaminated waste (1), in particular hospital or industrial, consisting in subjecting this waste (1) to a determined decontamination temperature, characterized in that: said waste (1) is introduced into a bag (2 ) decontamination chosen from a thermoplastic material whose plastic melting temperature is lower than the decontamination temperature; - Said bag (2) containing the waste (1) is introduced into a sealed compactor (3) while maintaining said bag (2) under a determined or variable pressure; - the temperature of this bag (2) is raised by conduction   up to the decontamination temperature.   2) decontamination method according to claim 1, characterized in that, after introduction of the bag (2) in the compactor (3), one proceeds to compacting the bag (2) containing the waste (1) so to evacuate, at least in part, the air   contained in the bag (2) and in the waste (1).   3) decontamination method according to claim 2, characterized in that, during or after compaction, it is ensured a discharge, out of this compactor (3), of part of the air contained in this compactor (3 ) and constituted, at least in part, by air initially contained in the bag (2) and the waste (1).   4) Decontamination method according to any one of   previous claims, characterized in that the pressure   under which the bag (2) is kept is between 2 and 7   bars, preferably around 4 bars.   ) Decontamination method according to any one of   previous claims, characterized in that the   the temperature at which the bag (2) is raised is greater than 110, preferably around 1400.   6) Bag (2) intended to contain contaminated waste (1) and designed capable of implementing the decontamination process according to   any of the preceding claims.   7) bag (2) intended to contain waste (1) contaminated according to claim 6, characterized in that it is delimited by at least one wall (5) and, optionally by a bottom (6), and that this or these walls (5) and, optionally this bottom (6), are defined by a stack of layers of plastic materials,   preferably defined by polyamide and / or polyethylene.   8) Bag (2) intended to contain contaminated waste (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the stack of layers consists of at least one layer of polyamide, oriented towards the outside of the bag (2) , and covered by at least one   polyethylene layer oriented towards the inside of the bag (2).   9) Bag (2) intended to contain contaminated waste (1)   according to any one of claims 7 or 8, characterized by the   the fact that a layer of plastic material has a thickness of between 30 and 400 microns, preferably between 50 and 200 microns. 10) Bag (2) intended to contain contaminated waste (1)   according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized by   a layer of polyamide has a thickness of between 50 and 70 microns, preferably approximately equal to 60 microns, while a layer of polyethylene has a thickness of between   between 160 and 200 microns, preferably approximately equal to 180 microns.   11) Bag (2) intended to contain contaminated waste (1)   according to any one of claims 7 to 10, characterized by   fact that it is made, either by modeling through a die,   either by cutting and heat sealing from a film.