Medical devices formed from recycled medical waste and methods of manufacture

1. A method of making a recycled medical device comprising forming a recycled medical device from a recycled plastic resin produced by shredding and sterilizing in a single pressurized tank a mixture of plastic medical waste containers containing medical waste soaked in superheated water and steam and circulated through a cutter.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plastic resin is separated from the metal and/or glass by float-sink a technique.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plastic resin comprises only polypropylene and polyethylene.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising formulating the plastic resin prior to forming the recycled medical device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the used plastic medical waste containers comprise polypropylene and polyethylene, and greater than about 60% of the polypropylene and polyethylene is recovered and incorporated into the recycled medical device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plastic medical waste containers are obtained from a medical facility.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the recycled medical device is selected from the group consisting of a waste container, a non-fluid path medical device and a fluid path medical device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the contents of the plastic medical waste containers comprises molded plastic, glass components and metal components.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the medical waste contained in the plastic medical waste containers comprises infectious waste.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shredded waste is heated to a temperature of about 272° F.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the shredded waste is held at about 272° F for about 6 minutes.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shredded waste does not require a separate washing process.