Shredder for infectious medical tools invented

CEBU – As an answer to health concerns posed by the reported improper disposal of sharp hospital wastes at the city sanitary landfill, a Cebu-based welder has invented a shredder for needles, blades and syringes.

Dr. Edward Dampor, Sr., a doctor of technical education and is the owner of Brilliant Metal Craft and Machine Design, came up with a sharp infectious medical wastes shredder that can reduce to bits and pieces metallic tools such as needles and blades, and can crush syringes. The machine can also apply chemical disinfectant to the said sharp hospital wastes and pass them through high frequency UV rays to kill thoroughly the contaminants and microbes present in the wastes.

According to Dampor, the device has a loading capacity of three kilos and can shred up to a kilo per minute. The shredder is powered by a 5Hp machine, is very mobile, thus it can be moved from one place to other locations if desired.

“The end product is very minute and can be compared to beach sand grains, thus again making the said wastes easy to dispose of,” Dampor said.

“Being of beach sand grain texture, it can now be used as a component in making hollow blocks or with cement for construction purposes,” he added.

Dampor assures the public that despite the size of the machine, it is a very powerful solution to the illegal practice of recycling used medical wastes like needles, syringes, and blades.

The shredder for infectious medical tools bears Patent Number 2-2006-000069.

Dampor founded the Brilliant Metal Craft and Machine Design after more than eight years of working abroad as a welder. He recently established the BMC Training Center for welding and fabrication. As a craftsman, he has ceaselessly developed new ideas and solutions to health and environmental problems. — Maria Eleanor Elape Valeros (THE FREEMAN)