The five steps
Collect
Right after the procedure the used device goes into a sealed, labelled container at the table. Each hand-over (ward, logistics, carrier, destination) is recorded with batch ID, weight, time and sign-off.
Take apart
The device is dismantled with standard hand tools. The pressure gauge is removed first, because it cannot be cleaned reliably. It goes to contaminated-waste incineration.
Wash
Parts go through a validated washer-disinfector cycle. In the study, cleaning was verified by a protein-residue test. Any part that fails goes to incineration.
Sort by material
Parts that pass are sorted by material family: PC, ABS, PA, TPU, metals, and silicone or mixed parts.
Recycle
The recycler shreds the clean plastic and turns it into granulate. Rejects are routed to compliant waste treatment.
Who does what
| Party | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Hospital | Point-of-use containment, sealed and labelled collection, hand-over records. Optionally steps 2 to 4 in-house if it has the cleaning equipment. |
| Reprocessing partner (optional) | Intake, disassembly, validated washing, cleaning verification, sorting, and transfer to the recycler with chain-of-custody records. |
| Recycler | Shredding and regranulation of accepted fractions. Confirms receipt and reports mass by material and rejects. |
| MUMD | Supplies the recycling guide and supports hospitals in setting up the process. |
What a recycling partner must provide
- Documented chain of custody from receipt to regranulation
- Receipt confirmation for every batch
- Mass reported by material class, plus yield and rejects
- Compliant treatment of rejected material
- Washing aligned with ISO 15883 principles (where the partner also cleans)
Recycling costs differ by country. In Switzerland recyclers may charge a fee. In other countries, for example India, recyclers may pay per kg. The calculator lets you enter either.
Ready to talk? Send hospital name and rough yearly device volume. We reply with a quote and the recycling guide.