Our “Cradle to Grave” Operations
Our practices routinely analyze the complexities and risks that come with transporting, treating, and disposing of biohazardous and infectious wastes. We have developed cost-effective, environmentally protective solutions to manage regulated waste safely. Our “Cradle to Grave” management service, which includes collecting, transporting, and processing medical waste, minimizes the risk of mismanaging regulated waste, which can have severe effects on people and the environment as well as result in non-compliant, government-enforced fines.
Once the regulated waste is generated, our specialized service technicians follow rigorous guidelines in accordance with federal and state regulations to collect and transport the regulated waste back to our facility for proper disposal. Our specialized autoclave technicians receive and process the regulated waste onsite completing the
optimized chain of the “Cradle to Grave” waste management cycle.
Our Process
Our waste disposal service uses a variety of disposal methods. The autoclave process uses the power of steam effectively sterilizing waste so that it is safe for further disposal and minimizes environmental pollutants or dangerous exposure to people. Without proper treatment, the waste is still dangerous and poses extremely serious health risks. Watch more about our safe and sustainable operations.
Here’s an in-depth look at the autoclave process and how we use the autoclave to treat and dispose of medical waste:
Here’s an in-depth look at the autoclave process and how we use the autoclave to treat and dispose of medical waste:
Waste is collected.
Our service technicians collect medical waste from thousands of generators in our service area. It is brought back to our processing facility where our autoclave technicians prepare the waste for treatment.
Waste is weighed and tracked.
This allows the formal process to be documented for records as specified by local, state, and federal compliance regulations.
Autoclave process begins.
The waste is heated to 285° at a pressure of 30 psi – effectively eliminating all pathogens. The temperature of the steam sterilizes the waste and kills all the bacteria or infectious material. Once treated, the waste is considered noninfectious and can be properly disposed.
Waste volume is reduced.
After the autoclave has finished, the waste itself has been reduced by at least 50% of its original volume. This reduces the overall volume for final disposal.
Waste transported to waste-to-energy incinerator.
Upon completion of the autoclave waste sterilization, the waste is taken to our waste-to-energy incinerator partner for final processing.
Not all medical waste can be treated through the autoclave process. Hazardous waste such as chemotherapy waste or certain medications must be treated through an incinerator which operates at a much higher heat that effectively destroys the hazardous elements.
Our Waste-to-Energy Incinerator Partner
Our final disposal site for all of our treated waste goes to a local waste-to-energy incinerator. The waste-to-energy incineration process offers an efficient way to ensure waste disposal is sustainable and made into a renewable source. By processing waste in this manner, our incinerator partner is able to produce enough sustainable electricity for up to 40,000 homes in our local community. The steam generated through this process of using local waste as fuel to create energy also powers much of downtown Baltimore. This all helps to create a local-energy ecosystem which recycles waste, thus keeping it out of landfills and lowering CO2 emissions.
Our Facility
Headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, our high-capacity processing facility broke ground back in 1987 after several years of founder Ray Krell operating a medical waste collection and transportation service. After what started 50 years ago as a small operation servicing local doctors and dentists in the Baltimore area, we are now the largest privately held medical waste management company providing collection, transportation, and treatment to a variety of clients and industries in the Mid-Atlantic region.
As our services have grown, so has our treatment operation, team of employees, and the size of our fleet. Our waste processing facility uses state-of-the-art technologies to process nearly all forms of medical waste. After our service technicians collect medical waste from our clients and customers, it is transported and received in for processing at our facility where we use autoclave technology to safely treat the medical waste.
Learn more about our autoclave treatment process
Our Service Fleet
At BWS, we know that first impressions and long-lasting relationships matter, and our medical waste technicians are often the team members our customers have the most interaction with. Our medical waste technicians receive ongoing specialized training in the care and handling that medical waste requires to keep customers, themselves, and the public safe.
We operate our privately-owned fleet of trucks that covers our entire service area. Operating our own private fleet allows us to ensure customer service standards and safety practices and expectations are closely managed so that we are providing our customers and clients the best level of safe and reliable service. It also provides the flexibility when variances occur, or emergency services are needed.
Compliance & Training Standards
Our facility is one of very few permitted regulated waste processing facilities in Maryland and certified to service the surrounding Mid-Atlantic region.
We routinely provide training and updates on EPA, DOT, and local, state, and federal compliance regulations to our service technicians, autoclave technicians, and office personnel.
Our private fleet of trucks are each licensed and certified to meet all regulatory requirements transporting medical waste.
It is our priority to provide fully compliant products and services so that we are staying at the forefront of and shaping new rule promulgation and always using best practices to keep people and the environment safe.
Service Area
Maryland Waste Services
Maryland Waste Services: Baltimore City (21201), Frederick (21701), Rockville (20847), Gaithersburg (20877), Bowie (20715), Hagerstown (21740), Annapolis (21401), College Park (20740), Westminster (21157), Eldersburg (21784), Laurel (20707), Greenbelt (20768), Cumberland (21501), Hyattsville (20781), Takoma Park (20901) and more.
Delaware Waste Services
Wilmington (19801), Newark (19702), Dover (19901), New Castle (19720), Bear (19701), Middletown (19709), Millsboro (19966), Lewes (19958), Seaford (19973), Smyrna (19977), Milford (19963), Georgetown (19947), Hockessin (19707), Laurel (19956), Claymont (19703), Rehoboth Beach (19971), and more.
Virginia Waste Services
Virginia Beach (19971), Richmond (22109), Alexandria (22301), Chesapeake (23320), Norfolk (23501), Arlington (22201), Woodbridge (22191), Henrico (23075), Newport News (23601), Roanoke (24001), Fredericksburg (22401), Fairfax (20151), Manassas (20108), Hampton (23605), Falls Church (22040), and more.
West Virginia Waste Services
Charleston (25301), Morgantown (26501), Huntington (25701), Martinsburg (25401), Parkersburg (26101), Wheeling (26003), Fairmont (26554), Beckley (25801), Princeton (24739), Clarksburg (26301), Saint Albans (05478), Weirton (26062), Hurricane (25526), Bluefield (24701), Buckhannon (26201), and more.
Pennsylvania Waste Services
Philadelphia (19019), Pittsburgh (15122), Allentown (18101), Erie (16501), Reading (19601), Scranton (18447), Bethlehem (18015), Lancaster (17573), Levittown (19054), Harrisburg (17101), Altoona (16601), Penn Hills (17653), York (17315), State College (16801), Wilkes-Barre (18701)
Washington, D.C. Waste Services
20001-20091 20201-20204 20206-20208 20210-20224 20226-20230 20232-20233 20235 20237-20242 20244-20245 20250-20252 20254 20260-20262 20265-20266 20268 20270 20277 20289 20299 20301 20303 20306 20310 20314 20317 20318 20319 20330 20340 20350 20355 20370 20372 20375 20380 20389-20395 20401-20429 20431 20433-20437 20439-20442 20444 20447 20451 20453 20456 20460 20463 20468-20470 20472 20500-20511 20515 20520-20531 20533--20549 20551-20555 20557 20559 20560 20565 20566 20570-20581 20585 20586 20590 20591 20593 20594 20597 20599 56901 56915 56920 56933 56944 56972
BWS Office Locations
Baltimore, Salisbury, & Cumberland - MD
We're the industry leader in experience, value, and efficiency.
60M+
Pounds of RMW Properly Treated and Disposed
40+
Years of Regulated Waste Industry Experience
10K+
Healthcare Professionals and Practices Served
6M
Pounds of Documents and Records Shredded
12M+
LBS Waste Recycled into Renewable Energy
3M+
LBS of Corrugated Medical Waste Boxes Recycled Domestically
