Patent ID: 7275645

Claim:
A system for sorting a plurality of medical waste items, the system comprising: a plurality of container compartments, each container compartment configured to receive a removable container; a plurality of removable containers, wherein each of said removable containers comprises an opening; a movable lid coupled with each of said removable containers; wherein the removable containers are configured to be placed within the container compartments, wherein each of the removable containers is associated with at least one of a plurality of medical waste categories, wherein the movable lid is movable to an open position; and wherein the movable lid is movable to a closed position; a handheld waste item identification device configured to determine a information on a medical waste item; a control system configured to compare information obtained from the handheld waste item identification device with medical waste item classification information contained in a database; wherein the control system is further configured to assign the item to at least one medical waste category; and wherein the control system is further configured to identify one of the removable containers based on the medical waste category; wherein the control system is further configured to allow the movable lid of the identified removable container to move to the open position to permit disposal of said medical waste item; and wherein the control system is further configured to lock the movable lid in a closed position after receipt of a medical waste item.