A system for detecting disposal of metallic objects into an opening of a medical waste container, including: an indicator for indicating passage of metallic objects through the opening, a pair of receive coils and a transmit coil spaced therebetween shaped for receiving waste therethrough adjacent to the opening, and a controller in electrical communication with the coils. The controller generates and communicates a transmit signal to the transmit coil, which generates a magnetic field that induces voltage in each of the receive coils, which each generate a receive signal. The controller generates a waveform based on the receive signals with a baseline corresponding to absence of metallic objects, and analyzes the waveform with respect to opposite first and second thresholds. The controller activates the indicator in response to metallic objects passing through the coils when the waveform first exceeds the first threshold and then subsequently exceeds the second threshold.

A waste cart includes a base housing; a center upright having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end is secured to the base housing; a top housing secured to the distal end of the center upright, wherein the top housing has two or more disposal openings for two or more separate disposal portions including, a first waste portion which has a first metal detector and an indicator for providing a notification when a metal item passes through the opening; and a second waste portion which includes a second metal detector and an indicator for providing a notification when a metal item passes through the opening; an electronics module which operates each metal detector independently; and an alarm indicator operationally associated with the electronics module which is activated when the electronics module detects the passage of a metal item through an opening into a waste portion.

A storage receptacle can include a storage bin and a pedal mounted to the receptacle as well as a hopper. A method of using the storage receptacle can include receiving a force on a hopper handle of a hopper of a storage receptacle, the hopper having a cable connection point connected to a cable, based on the force, rotating the hopper to enable a user to place material in a storage bin of the storage receptacle, wherein the rotating causes the cable to have slack and preventing the cable having the slack from coming out of a groove in a pulley via a shroud positioned over at least a portion of the pulley.

A waste cart includes a base housing; a center upright having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end is secured to the base housing; a top housing secured to the distal end of the center upright, wherein the top housing has two or more disposal openings for two or more separate disposal portions including, a first waste portion which has a first metal detector and an indicator for providing a notification when a metal item passes through the opening; and a second waste portion which includes a second metal detector and an indicator for providing a notification when a metal item passes through the opening; an electronics module which operates each metal detector independently; and an alarm indicator operationally associated with the electronics module which is activated when the electronics module detects the passage of a metal item through an opening into a waste portion.

A mobile cart that holds a bag for receiving solid waste generated during a medical or surgical procedure. The cart includes a sensor that monitors whether or not an object containing metal is placed in the bag. A processor monitors the signal output by the sensor. If the sensor signal indicates that an object with a minimal amount of metal is placed in the bag, the processor momentarily asserts an audible alarm and continuously asserts a light alarm. The light alarm remains asserted until turned off. If, while the light alarm is on, the sensor signal indicates a second object with the minimal amount of waste is placed in the container, the processor again momentarily asserts the audible alarm. This provides notice that it may be necessary to investigate the contents of the bag to determine if not one but two or more objects were inadvertently discarded.

A waste cart includes a base housing; a center upright having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end is secured to the base housing; a top housing secured to the distal end of the center upright, wherein the top housing has two or more disposal openings for two or more separate disposal portions including, a first waste portion which has a first metal detector and an indicator for providing a notification when a metal item passes through the opening; and a second waste portion which includes a second metal detector and an indicator for providing a notification when a metal item passes through the opening; an electronics module which operates each metal detector independently; and an alarm indicator operationally associated with the electronics module which is activated when the electronics module detects the passage of a metal item through an opening into a waste portion.

A system includes a metal detector, a structure to hold the metal detector, and a processing unit which processes the measured signal from the metal detector. The measured signals of known objects are recorded with the metal detector. The signals are processed into sets of variables. When an unknown object is detected by the metal detector, the measured signal is processed into the same variables. The variables from the measured signal are compared against the variables in the database. If a match is found, the unknown object is determined.

A waste cart includes a base housing; a center upright having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end is secured to the base housing; a top housing secured to the distal end of the center upright, wherein the top housing has two or more disposal openings for two or more separate disposal portions including, a first waste portion which has a first metal detector and an indicator for providing a notification when a metal item passes through the opening; and a second waste portion which includes a second metal detector and an indicator for providing a notification when a metal item passes through the opening; an electronics module which operates each metal detector independently; and an alarm indicator operationally associated with the electronics module which is activated when the electronics module detects the passage of a metal item through an opening into a waste portion.

A mobile cart that holds a bag for receiving solid waste generated during a medical or surgical procedure. The cart includes a sensor that monitors whether or not an object containing metal is placed in the bag. A processor monitors the signal output by the sensor. If the sensor signal indicates that an object with a minimal amount of metal is placed in the bag, the processor momentarily asserts an audible alarm and continuously asserts a light alarm. The light alarm remains asserted until turned off. If, while the light alarm is on, the sensor signal indicates a second object with the minimal amount of waste is placed in the container, the processor again momentarily asserts the audible alarm. This provides notice that it may be necessary to investigate the contents of the bag to determine if not one but two or more objects were inadvertently discarded.

A storage receptacle can include a storage bin and a pedal mounted to the receptacle. The pedal can rotate downward when pressure is applied in order to pull on a first cable coupled to the pedal. The first cable is connected to a spring, and the spring is connected to a second cable. The second cable connects the spring to a door via an upper pulley of the receptacle. The second cable causes the door to open when the second cable is pulled based on force applied to the pedal. A bottom pulley can be coupled to the pedal via the first cable and configured to translate an upward pull of the first cable to a downward pull of the spring and second cable. The spring controls the motion of the door such that the door does not open too quickly upon a force being applied to the pedal.