In two years the firm has doubled in size since it was set up two years ago and is now checking other targets in a continuing acquisitions programme.

Chief Executive Ray Hawthorne said earlier in the year: “In two years we have gone right to the top of the industry in the UK and Europe. Now we have every intention of becoming a global player.”

The specialist waste management company states that it is the second largest clinical waste company in the UK and the largest “non-burn” disposal operator in Europe following the acquisition early this year of a division of the French water company, Vivendi. The deal more than doubled the size of the company, boosting turnover to over £12 million and increasing staff from 70 to 175.

Eurocare, which has a head office in Newcastle upon Tyne and operates 10 plants in Britain and Ireland, provides a specialist collection, transportation and disposal service for the healthcare sector. The firm utilises “non-burn” heat disinfection technology which processes waste in a safe manner, in addition to high temperature incineration.

According to Ray Hawthorne, “This is a specialised industry which is experiencing rapid growth.”

Eurocare operates a fleet of more than 60 vans and lorries to service its contracts, which include the NHS clinical waste contract for the whole of Scotland.

Eurocare also provides a disposal service to a number of NHS Trusts in Northern England, the Midlands and Wales and is currently building new disposal facilities in North and South Wales.

Heat disinfection unit

Eurocare’s patented Heat Disinfection System (HDS) is designed to commercially disinfect healthcare waste without the need for high temperature incineration. The resulting residue can then be disposed of safely as industrial non-hazardous waste.

The HDS will handle two specific types of waste – sharps waste, which consists primarily of syringes and other sharp instruments – and general regulated yellow bag waste. The waste is presented for disposal using UN approved wheeled carts. After weighing, the contents of the rigid wheeled carts are fed automatically into the Heat Disinfection Unit (HDU) via the bin-tipping mechanism.

The shredding system is designed to shred the incoming untreated healthcare waste in order to:

  • render the waste usable
  • improve material conveyance
  • gain a more efficient heat transfer in the disinfection unit (Holoflite)
  • and achieve a greater volume reduction
  • Material is tipped from the bin tipper into a fully enclosed shredder hood. A negative air pressure flows through the hood ensuring that any airborne particles are drawn into the air filtration system.

    After shredding, the waste is conveyed to the Holoflite processor by a screw conveyor via a rotary airlock.


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