THE first and biggest medical infectious solid waste management and treatment facility in the Philippines was inaugurated on Monday, October 29, at Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC).

Sterilwave 440 of Bertin Technologies from France grinds the solid waste through rotating blades and microwave heat technology machine into small particles. It then sterilizes the infectious wastes like syringe or needles, used test strips, textiles waste, micro tubes, Paper waste, Diaper, Catheter, Separating funnel, sampling needles, and test specimens to be an ordinary city waste.

"In some countries, they just dump their medical waste somewhere. It's not good for the environment and it’s not good for the people as well," Soufiane Belkhiri, Asia Sales Manager of Bertin Technologies, said on Monday, October 29, during the inauguration at SPMC.

Belkhiri added that Sterilwave works through electricity and it does not require water to sterilize and process the infectious waste into a dry waste. It also has an efficient heat system that rises up to 110 Celsius within 20 minutes to decontaminate the infectious waste.

"Kini nga proseso protektado na ang inyong general garbage ug katong ang mga naga handle sa hospital waste nga di sila masamdan ug magka inpeksyon (This process protects our general garbage and at the same time it also protects the ones who handle the hospital waste)," doctor Leopoldo J. Vega, SPMC medical chief.

Vega further said the infectious waste in the Sterilwave has gone through the process, the waste becomes non-hazardous and it also helps in the environment because it does not need large space to dispose.