MedSharps Installs First Commercially-available Steam Autoclave in the Region

Schertz, TX – MedSharps, a division of Schertz-based Marshall Shredding Company, announced today the region’s only commercial steam autoclave is ready for the public to utilize. 

“We’re glad to provide the San Antonio region with the safest, cleanest and most efficient way to process medical waste,” says Rob Marshall, president of MedSharps.  “As the area continues to expand, it’s important to have our own way to transport and treat this material with the least amount of handling possible.”

Until now, medical waste generated from area health facilities has had to be transported out of town to Bastrop, TX or Port Arthur, TX.  The risk of exposure grows as more people handle the material.  MedSharps’ new service allows for a single, secure transport to its own facility where every step of the process is controlled in-house.

Autoclaving uses a type of steam sterilization similar to what medical instruments get before use.  It’s both the most effective and environmentally friendly option available.  High-pressure steam kills any bacteria or viruses that may be in the waste, so the public is at no risk for contamination.  Also, steaming is a clean process that doesn’t emit dangerous gasses into the atmosphere like incinerating or require a chemical component like other options.

Capable of processing 13,500 lbs of waste each day, the MedSharps autoclave can handle a significant amount of the region’s needs. And, as a division of Marshall Shredding Company, MedSharps also can safely transport and destroy sensitive medical documents.

MedSharps is fully complaint with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and Department of Transportation (DOT) standards, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations regarding medical waste transport and treatment.  It’s also one of the few shredding companies in Texas to be rated AAA Certified by the National Association of Information Destruction.