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Tech Giants Could Send Helium Prices Soaring as War For Supply Grows

It’s a global issue that could soon disrupt every industry from technology to medicine and much more.
With the global supply of one commodity at its lowest level in years… while demand is spiking to all-time highs…
It could send prices for this…

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It's a global issue that could soon disrupt every industry from technology to medicine and much more.

With the global supply of one commodity at its lowest level in years... while demand is spiking to all-time highs...

It could send prices for this much-needed resource higher yet.

Already, prices had been steadily climbing in recent years.


Source: Bureau of Land Management, USGS

But one small company, Avanti Energy (TSX: AVN.V; US OTC: ARGYF), has seen its share price increase more than 2.5x over just the last few months.

Those recent gains are greater than many of those companies filling the headlines today.

Now, an event set to take place in September 2021 has the potential to send helium prices to the next level.

That's when the global supply of this rare gas could nosedive by as much as 10%.

And that's why some of the biggest media outlets in the world are finally starting to take notice.

Forbes is saying, "Helium is soaring on red-hot demand, shrinking supply."

CNBC points out, "The worldwide helium shortage affects everything from MRIs to rockets."

And the Wall Street Journal is saying, "The gas is crucial in high-tech and medical device manufacturing [...] operations."

With top media outlets now turning their attention to this supply squeeze, it’s clear that the world is facing a potential shortage.

You see, helium is about far more than party balloons.

Big Tech companies like Amazon, Alphabet, Facebook, and many others all rely heavily on this valuable gas.

Because it has the lowest boiling point of any element, it can bring temperatures to lower levels than even liquid nitrogen.

That's incredibly important when you're keeping electronics from overheating.

1) This is crucial for Big Tech’s data centers, as they run around the clock, crunching more data than ever.

2) It's essential for creating computer chips we rely on in every computer and smartphone we own.

3) And the health sector requires them to cool the magnets inside MRI machines.

Helium even plays a critical role in space exploration, quantum computing, and nuclear power.

In today's high-tech era, it's needed nearly everywhere you look.

That's why it's such a concern that supply levels are reducing to the lowest level we've seen in years.

Those in the medical field even went as far as to ask balloon retailers to give up 10% of the helium supply recently to help address the shortage.

If helium levels run out altogether, the effects could be very expensive.

Imagine the impact on fiber optic cables for high speed internet. On cell phones or computers. On MRIs. And even on airbags for our cars.

That’s why this precious gas is now much more valuable than natural gas, at prices of $14.6/Mcf versus just $2.80/Mcf.

And that's great news for little-known helium exploration companies like Avanti (TSX: AVN.V; US OTC: ARGYF).

The junior mining company has already seen shares soar over 2.5x in just three months.


Source: Beacon Securities Limited

But with the looming deadline of the September 2021 event, Avanti Energy (TSX: AVN.V; US OTC: ARGYF) seems to be on the right track.

World-Class Team Jumping On A Massive Opportunity

Avanti recently acquired the license for 6,000+ acres of land in Alberta, Canada that the experienced team says is highly prospective for helium.


Source: Beacon Securities Limited

Around the world, most of the largest supplies of helium have had one thing in common.

They were discovered in areas where there's been drilling for natural gas.

That’s a major reason why Avanti has targeted the site where the government of Alberta previously explored for oil and gas wells.

So we think it already fits the criteria from that angle.

But it's also positioned in an area where there's been multiple drill system tests with analyzed natural gas.

And it's got the potential to be high-grade gas as well.

When it comes to commercially viable grades of helium, experts consider anything from 0.3% to 1% helium to be high-grade.

But on the Alberta property, historical drilling is reported to have showed up to 2.18% helium in some locations.

We think this could have tremendous implications for supply if the hoped for discovery in Alberta pans out as Avanti’s team is expecting.

For prospective helium plays like these though, even when there's great potential, many fall apart just due to poor leadership or lack of experience, in addition to other reasons.

That's why it's essential to only back projects led by teams that have already proven they can deliver the goods.

And that's exactly what we think Avanti Energy (TSX: AVN.V; US OTC: ARGYF) has on their side.

Team of Experts with a Proven Track Record

Their world-class management team was responsible for identifying and developing one of the largest oil and gas discoveries in all of North America.

That's where they helped discover natural gas in the Montney, which has been producing almost 300,000 boe/d over the past 15 years.

And now, Genga Nadaraju, Dr. Jim Wood, and Ali Esmail have keyed in on the Alberta property because of the incredible potential they've seen there.

They've probably already developed a plan for identifying the structural traps and high points for drilling.

But many are eagerly waiting to see how these world-class experts will do it.

They've already revealed that they're pursuing an 80-20% targeted model approach.

The 20% will follow standard industry conventional strategies.

But the remaining 80%, which could be the key to helping unlock the opportunities at the Alberta property, is being kept strictly confidential.

It’s expected that they’ll plan to follow their own models, just as they did at the Montney.

And they’re hoping they’ll see similar results with another world-class discovery in their new property, this time of a different kind of gas.

Expanding Quickly Throughout North America

With such a highly-respected team behind this project, it's beginning to draw attention within the industry.

That's especially true after Avanti moved to grow their land package across the border into the United States earlier in April.

They’ve entered into an LOI to add another 12,000 acres of land in Montana to this already impressive land package in Alberta.

And they're supposedly eyeing another roughly 55,000 acres around the midwestern United States with potentially very large helium reserves.

Altogether, they're said to have identified around 20 additional proprietary targets around Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Montana.

And over the coming months, they've made clear that they are planning to aggressively start acquiring more land to build a long-term pipeline of opportunities and projects.

That's massive news as the supply squeeze for helium has a lot of different industries seeking what Avanti is looking to be able to supply.

And once the Helium Stewardship Act expires in September 2021, that's only expected by some experts to push helium prices higher.

That's when the United States Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will auction off all remaining helium reserves in their possession, which could do away with the price ceiling keeping the lid on the market today.

Avanti Energy (TSX: AVN.V; US OTC: ARGYF) is in a good position to cash in if they achieve the discoveries they’re aiming for as they assemble a growing property portfolio that's highly prospective for helium.

Now, with the success of this tech boom riding on companies like Avanti discovering and producing more helium in the coming months, the potential upside looks good to us.

So how does Big Tech use helium, anyway?

It’s used primarily for cooling in fiber optic manufacturing and semiconductor manufacturing. That means that companies with massive data centers like Google, Facebook and Microsoft are distinctly dependent on this rare gas.

Other energy plays to keep an eye on:

As demand for energy continues to explode in a post-pandemic China, CNOOC Limited (NYSE:CEO, TSX:CNU) will likely be one of the biggest winners in this boom. It’s the country’s most significant producer of offshore crude oil and natural gas and may well be one of the most controversial oil stocks for investors on the market. A label that has nothing to do with its operations, however.

Just last month, U.S. regulators announced their intention to de-list Chinese companies from the New York Stock Exchange, going back on their announcement just a few days later. The sustained negative press surrounding Chinese companies, however, has put CNOOC in an uncomfortable position for investors. While many analysts see the company as significantly undervalued, it is still struggling to gain traction in U.S. markets.

Teck Resources Limited (NYSE:TECK, TSX:TECK.B) is one of the world’s largest and most diverse resource and mineral companies. And it isn’t going to miss out on the global energy transition, either. While its primary mining and mineral development plays focus on steelmaking coal, copper and zinc, Teck also has a major stake in renewable projects with massive potential.

Explaining why investment in the new-energy industry, Teck states, “Flow batteries – such as the zinc-air battery developed by ZincNyx, with its flexible and low-cost scaling, long-term storage properties and the ability to separate the energy storage function from the power generation source – could provide a more efficient alternative for large-scale energy storage.” 

Like the rest of the market, Teck struggled in 2020. Its share price fell to just $7 in March of last year due to the market chaos sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this downturn, however, the company was able to rebound significantly, rising by nearly 180% to its current prices. But with more projects on the horizon, and global demand for copper and zinc on the rise, Teck is poised to climb even higher.

Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd. (NYSE:TRQ, TSX:TRQ) is major player in Canada’s resource and mineral industry, and its bound to gain some major traction in the world’s push towards greener energy. Like Teck Resources, Turquoise Hill is a major producer of coal and zinc, two resources with distinctly different futures. While the end of coal is looming, zinc is a mineral that will likely grow exponentially in the future of energy for years and years to come.

But that’s not all Turqoise Hill has going for it in the energy transition. It’s also a major producer of Uranium. Uranium is a key material in the production of nuclear energy, which many analysts are suggesting could be a major component in the global transition to cleaner energy. While the mineral has not seen significant price action in recent years, there are a number of new projects set to come online across the globe in the medium-term, which could be a boon to Turquoise Hill.

Magna International (NYSE:MGA, TSX:MG) is a little-known stock with huge potential. And it is a great way to get in on the booming battery market without betting big on one of the new hot stocks tearing up among the millennials right now. The 63-year-old Canadian manufacturing giant provides mobility technology for automakers of all types. From GM and Ford to luxury brands like BMW and Tesla, Magna is a master at striking deals. And it’s clear to see why. The company has the experience and reputation that automakers are looking for.

Magna saw the battery boom before most. In fact, more than ten years ago, it was already making major moves in this emerging market, investing over half a billion dollars in battery production while the market was still gaining traction. Back then, electric vehicles as we know them had barely hit the scene, with Tesla launching its very first car just two years before.

Magna’s big bet on batteries has paid off in a big way. Since its initial investment the company has seen its valuation soar by tens of billions of dollars, and it has quietly solidified itself as one of the leaders in this emerging market. 

Similar to Magna, Celestica (NYSE:CLS, TSX:CLS ), is a company that saw this trend before it took Wall Street by storm. As a manufacturer of key technology in this industry, it has gained a lot of ground, especially in recent years. Celestica’s wide range of products includes but is not limited to communications solutions, enterprise and cloud services, aerospace and defense products, renewable energy and healthcare tech.

Celestica’s future is tied hand-in-hand with the green energy boom that’s sweeping the world at the moment. It helps build smart and efficient products that integrate the latest in power generation, conversion and management technology to deliver smarter, more efficient grid and off-grid applications for the world’s leading energy equipment manufacturers and developers.

Celestica fell victim to the massive selloff sparked by the global COVID-19 pandemic, seeing its share price fall into the $2 range in March 2020. Since then, however, the stock price has soared by nearly 400% to its current price. This could be just the beginning for Celestica, however. As the pressure continues to grow to go green, Celestica may emerge as a major benefactor in this new energy race.  

By. Arakan Okada

**IMPORTANT! BY READING OUR CONTENT YOU EXPLICITLY AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY**

Forward-Looking Statements

This publication contains forward-looking information which is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements in this publication include that prices for helium will significantly increase due to global demand and use in a wide array of industries and that helium will retain its value in future due to the demand increases and overall shortage of supply; that Avanti can pursue exploration of the recently acquired licenses of property in Alberta; that Avanti’s licenses in respect of the Alberta property can achieve drilling and mining success for helium; that Avanti will be able acquire the rights to helium on 12,000 acres of prospective land in Montana pursuant to its recently announced letter of intent; that the Avanti team will be able to develop and implement helium exploration models, including their own proprietary models, that may result in successful exploration and development efforts; that historical geological information and estimations will prove to be accurate or at least very indicative of helium; that high helium content targets exist in the Alberta and Montana projects; and that Avanti will be able to carry out its business plans, including timing for drilling and exploration. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Risks that could change or prevent these statements from coming to fruition include that demand for helium is not as great as expected; that alternative commodities or compounds are used in applications which currently use helium, thus reducing the need for helium in the future; that the Company may not fulfill the requirements under its Alberta licenses for various reasons or otherwise cannot pursue exploration on the project as planned or at all; that the Company may not be able to acquire the helium rights to the Montana lands as contemplated in the letter of intent or at all; that the Avanti team may be unable to develop any helium exploration models, including proprietary models, which allow successful exploration efforts on any of the Company’s current or future projects; that Avanti may not be able to finance its intended drilling programs to explore for helium or may otherwise not raise sufficient funds to carry out its business plans; that geological interpretations and technological results based on current data may change with more detailed information, analysis or testing; and that despite promise, there may be no commercially viable helium or other resources on any of Avanti’s properties. The forward-looking information contained herein is given as of the date hereof and we assume no responsibility to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law.

DISCLAIMERS

This communication is for entertainment purposes only. Never invest purely based on our communication. Oilprice.com and its owners and affiliates (“Oilprice.com”) have not been compensated by Avanti but may in the future be compensated to conduct investor awareness advertising and marketing for TSXV:AVN. The information in this report and on our website has not been independently verified and is not guaranteed to be correct.

SHARE OWNERSHIP. The owner of Oilprice.com owns shares of Avanti and therefore has an additional incentive to see the featured company’s stock perform well. Oilprice is therefore conflicted and is not purporting to present an independent report. The owner of Oilprice.com will not notify the market when it decides to buy more or sell shares of this issuer in the market. The owner of Oilprice.com will be buying and selling shares of this issuer for its own profit. This is why we stress that you conduct extensive due diligence as well as seek the advice of your financial advisor or a registered broker-dealer before investing in any securities. 

NOT AN INVESTMENT ADVISOR. Oilprice.com is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation, nor are any of its writers or owners.

ALWAYS DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH and consult with a licensed investment professional before making an investment. This communication should not be used as a basis for making any investment.

RISK OF INVESTING. Investing is inherently risky. Don't trade with money you can't afford to lose. This is neither a solicitation nor an offer to Buy/Sell securities. No representation is being made that any stock acquisition will or is likely to achieve profits.

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Health Officials: Man Dies From Bubonic Plague In New Mexico

Health Officials: Man Dies From Bubonic Plague In New Mexico

Authored by Jack Phillips via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Officials in…

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Health Officials: Man Dies From Bubonic Plague In New Mexico

Authored by Jack Phillips via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Officials in New Mexico confirmed that a resident died from the plague in the United States’ first fatal case in several years.

A bubonic plague smear, prepared from a lymph removed from an adenopathic lymph node, or bubo, of a plague patient, demonstrates the presence of the Yersinia pestis bacteria that causes the plague in this undated photo. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Getty Images)

The New Mexico Department of Health, in a statement, said that a man in Lincoln County “succumbed to the plague.” The man, who was not identified, was hospitalized before his death, officials said.

They further noted that it is the first human case of plague in New Mexico since 2021 and also the first death since 2020, according to the statement. No other details were provided, including how the disease spread to the man.

The agency is now doing outreach in Lincoln County, while “an environmental assessment will also be conducted in the community to look for ongoing risk,” the statement continued.

This tragic incident serves as a clear reminder of the threat posed by this ancient disease and emphasizes the need for heightened community awareness and proactive measures to prevent its spread,” the agency said.

A bacterial disease that spreads via rodents, it is generally spread to people through the bites of infected fleas. The plague, known as the black death or the bubonic plague, can spread by contact with infected animals such as rodents, pets, or wildlife.

The New Mexico Health Department statement said that pets such as dogs and cats that roam and hunt can bring infected fleas back into homes and put residents at risk.

Officials warned people in the area to “avoid sick or dead rodents and rabbits, and their nests and burrows” and to “prevent pets from roaming and hunting.”

“Talk to your veterinarian about using an appropriate flea control product on your pets as not all products are safe for cats, dogs or your children” and “have sick pets examined promptly by a veterinarian,” it added.

“See your doctor about any unexplained illness involving a sudden and severe fever, the statement continued, adding that locals should clean areas around their home that could house rodents like wood piles, junk piles, old vehicles, and brush piles.

The plague, which is spread by the bacteria Yersinia pestis, famously caused the deaths of an estimated hundreds of millions of Europeans in the 14th and 15th centuries following the Mongol invasions. In that pandemic, the bacteria spread via fleas on black rats, which historians say was not known by the people at the time.

Other outbreaks of the plague, such as the Plague of Justinian in the 6th century, are also believed to have killed about one-fifth of the population of the Byzantine Empire, according to historical records and accounts. In 2013, researchers said the Justinian plague was also caused by the Yersinia pestis bacteria.

But in the United States, it is considered a rare disease and usually occurs only in several countries worldwide. Generally, according to the Mayo Clinic, the bacteria affects only a few people in U.S. rural areas in Western states.

Recent cases have occurred mainly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Countries with frequent plague cases include Madagascar, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Peru, the clinic says. There were multiple cases of plague reported in Inner Mongolia, China, in recent years, too.

Symptoms

Symptoms of a bubonic plague infection include headache, chills, fever, and weakness. Health officials say it can usually cause a painful swelling of lymph nodes in the groin, armpit, or neck areas. The swelling usually occurs within about two to eight days.

The disease can generally be treated with antibiotics, but it is usually deadly when not treated, the Mayo Clinic website says.

“Plague is considered a potential bioweapon. The U.S. government has plans and treatments in place if the disease is used as a weapon,” the website also says.

According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the last time that plague deaths were reported in the United States was in 2020 when two people died.

Tyler Durden Wed, 03/13/2024 - 21:40

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I created a ‘cosy game’ – and learned how they can change players’ lives

Cosy, personal games, as I discovered, can change the lives of the people who make them and those who play them.

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Cosy games exploded in popularity during the pandemic. Takoyaki Tech/Shutterstock

The COVID pandemic transformed our lives in ways many of us are still experiencing, four years later. One of these changes was the significant uptake in gaming as a hobby, chief among them being “cosy games” like Animal Crossing: New Horizons (2020).

Players sought comfort in these wholesome virtual worlds, many of which allowed them to socialise from the safety of their homes. Cosy games, with their comforting atmospheres, absence of winning or losing, simple gameplay, and often heartwarming storylines provided a perfect entry point for a new hobby. They also offered predictability and certainty at a time when there wasn’t much to go around.

Cosy games are often made by small, independent developers. “Indie games” have long been evangelised as the purest form of game development – something anyone can do, given enough perseverance. This means they can provide an entry point for creators who hadn’t made games before, but were nevertheless interested in it, enabling a new array of diverse voices and stories to be heard.

In May 2020, near the start of the pandemic, the small poetry game A Solitary Spacecraft, which was about its developer’s experience of their first few months in lockdown, was lauded as particularly poignant. Such games showcase a potential angle for effective cosy game development: a personal one.

Personal themes are often explored through cosy games. For instance, Chicory and Venba (both released in 2023) tackle difficult topics like depression and immigration, despite their gorgeous aesthetics. This showcases the diversity of experiences on display within the medium.

However, as the world emerges from the pandemic’s shadow, the games industry is facing significant challenges. Economic downturns and acquisitions have caused large layoffs across the sector.

Historically, restructurings like these, or discontent with working conditions, have led talented laid-off developers to create their own companies and explore indie development. In the wake of the pandemic and the cosy game boom, these developers may have more personal stories to tell.

Making my own cosy game

I developed my own cosy and personal game during the pandemic and quickly discovered that creating these games in a post-lockdown landscape is no mean feat.

What We Take With Us (2023) merges reality and gameplay across various digital formats: a website, a Discord server that housed an online alternate reality game and a physical escape room. I created the game during the pandemic as a way to reflect on my journey through it, told through the videos of game character Ana Kirlitz.

The trailer for my game, What We Take With Us.

Players would follow in Ana’s footsteps by completing a series of ten tasks in their real-world space, all centred on improving wellbeing – something I and many others desperately needed during the pandemic.

But creating What We Take With Us was far from straightforward. There were pandemic hurdles like creating a physical space for an escape room amid social distancing guidelines. And, of course, the emotional difficulties of wrestling with my pandemic journey through the game’s narrative.

The release fared poorly, and the game only garnered a small player base – a problem emblematic of the modern games industry.

These struggles were starkly contrasted by the feedback I received from players who played the game, however.

This is a crucial lesson for indie developers: the creator’s journey and the player’s experience are often worlds apart. Cosy, personal games, as I discovered, can change the lives of those who play them, no matter how few they reach. They can fundamentally change the way we think about games, allow us to reconnect with old friends, or even inspire us to change careers – all real player stories.

Lessons in cosy game development

I learned so much about how cosy game development can be made more sustainable for creators navigating the precarious post-lockdown landscape. This is my advice for other creators.

First, collaboration is key. Even though many cosy or personal games (like Stardew Valley) are made by solo creators, having a team can help share the often emotional load. Making games can be taxing, so practising self-care and establishing team-wide support protocols is crucial. Share your successes and failures with other developers and players. Fostering a supportive community is key to success in the indie game landscape.

Second, remember that your game, however personal, is a product – not a reflection of you or your team. Making this distinction will help you manage expectations and cope with feedback.

Third, while deeply considering your audience may seem antithetical to personal projects, your game will ultimately be played by others. Understanding them will help you make better games.

The pandemic reignited the interest in cosy games, but subsequent industry-wide troubles may change games, and the way we make them, forever. Understanding how we make game creation more sustainable in a post-lockdown, post-layoff world is critical for developers and players alike.

For developers, it’s a reminder that their stories, no matter how harrowing, can still meaningfully connect with people. For players, it’s an invitation to embrace the potential for games to tell such stories, fostering empathy and understanding in a world that greatly needs it.


Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.


Adam Jerrett does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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KIMM finds solution to medical waste problem, which has become a major national issue

A medical waste treatment system, which is capable of 99.9999 percent sterilization by using high-temperature and high-pressure steam, has been developed…

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A medical waste treatment system, which is capable of 99.9999 percent sterilization by using high-temperature and high-pressure steam, has been developed for the first time in the country.

Credit: Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM)

A medical waste treatment system, which is capable of 99.9999 percent sterilization by using high-temperature and high-pressure steam, has been developed for the first time in the country.

The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (President Seog-Hyeon Ryu, hereinafter referred to as KIMM), an institute under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Science and ICT, has succeeded in developing an on-site-disposal type medical waste sterilization system that can help to resolve the problem caused by medical waste, which has become a national and social issue as the volume of medical waste continues to increase every year. This project was launched as a basic business support program of the KIMM and was expanded into a demonstration project of Daejeon Metropolitan City. Then, in collaboration with VITALS Co., Ltd., a technology transfer corporation, the medical waste treatment system was developed as a finished product capable of processing more than 100 kilograms of medical waste per hour, and was demonstrated at the Chungnam National University Hospital.

Moreover, the installation and use of this product have been approved by the Geumgang Basin Environmental Office of the Ministry of Environment. All certification-related work for the installation and operation of this product at the Chungnam National University Hospital has been completed, including the passage of an installation test for efficiency and stability conducted by the Korea Testing Laboratory.

Through collaboration with VITALS Co., Ltd., a corporation specializing in inhalation toxicity systems, the research team led by Principal Researcher Bangwoo Han of the Department of Urban Environment Research of the KIMM’s Eco-Friendly Energy Research Division developed a high-temperature, high-pressure steam sterilization-type medical waste treatment system by using a high-temperature antimicrobial technology capable of processing biologically hazardous substances such as virus and bacteria with high efficiency. After pulverizing medical waste into small pieces so that high-temperature steam can penetrate deep into the interior of the medical waste, steam was then compressed in order to raise the boiling point of the saturated steam to over 100 degrees Celsius, thereby further improving the sterilization effect of the steam.

Meanwhile, in the case of the high-pressure steam sterilization method, it is vitally important to allow the airtight, high-temperature and high-pressure steam to penetrate deep into the medical waste. Therefore, the research team aimed to improve the sterilization effect of medical waste by increasing the contact efficiency between the pulverized medical waste and the aerosolized steam.

By using this technology, the research team succeeded in processing medical waste at a temperature of 138 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes or at 145 degrees Celsius for more than five (5) minutes, which is the world’s highest level. By doing so, the research team achieved a sterilization performance of 99.9999 percent targeting biological indicator bacteria at five (5) different locations within the sterilization chamber. This technology received certification as an NET (New Excellent Technology) in 2023.

Until now, medical waste has been sterilized by heating the exposed moisture using microwaves. However, this method requires caution because workers are likely to be exposed to electromagnetic waves and the entrance of foreign substances such as metals may lead to accidents.

In Korea, medical waste is mostly processed at exclusive medical waste incinerators and must be discharged in strict isolation from general waste. Hence, professional efforts are required to prevent the risk of infection during the transportation and incineration of medical waste, which requires a loss of cost and manpower.

If medical waste is processed directly at hospitals and converted into general waste by applying the newly developed technology, this can help to eliminate the risk of infection during the loading and transportation processes and significantly reduce waste disposal costs. By processing 30 percent of medical waste generated annually, hospitals can save costs worth KRW 71.8 billion. Moreover, it can significantly contribute to the ESG (environmental, social, and governance) management of hospitals by reducing the amount of incinerated waste and shortening the transportation distance of medical waste.

[*Allbaro System (statistical data from 2021): Unit cost of treatment for each type of waste for the calculation of performance guarantee insurance money for abandoned wastes (Ministry of Environment Public Notification No. 2021-259, amended on December 3, 2021). Amount of medical waste generated on an annual basis: 217,915 tons; Medical waste: KRW 1,397 per ton; General waste from business sites subject to incineration: KRW 299 per ton]

As the size and structure of the installation space varies for each hospital, installing a standardized commercial equipment can be a challenge. However, during the demonstration process at the Chungnam National University Hospital, the new system was developed in a way that allows the size and arrangement thereof to be easily adjusted depending on the installation site. Therefore, it can be highly advantageous in terms of on-site applicability.

Principal Researcher Bangwoo Han of the KIMM was quoted as saying, “The high-temperature, high-pressure steam sterilization technology for medical waste involves the eradication of almost all infectious bacteria in a completely sealed environment. Therefore, close cooperation with participating companies that have the capacity to develop airtight chamber technology is very important in materializing this technology.” He added, “We will make all-out efforts to expand this technology to the sterilization treatment of infected animal carcasses in the future.”

 

President Seog-Hyeon Ryu of the KIMM was quoted as saying, “The latest research outcome is significantly meaningful in that it shows the important role played by government-contributed research institutes in resolving national challenges. The latest technology, which has been developed through the KIMM’s business support program, has been expanded to a demonstration project through cooperation among the industry, academia, research institutes, and the government of Daejeon Metropolitan City.” President Ryu added, “We will continue to proactively support these regional projects and strive to develop technologies that contribute to the health and safety of the public.”

 

Meanwhile, this research was conducted with the support of the project for the “development of ultra-high performance infectious waste treatment system capable of eliminating 99.9999 percent of viruses in response to the post-coronavirus era,” one of the basic business support programs of the KIMM, as well as the project for the “demonstration and development of a safety design convergence-type high-pressure steam sterilization system for on-site treatment of medical waste,” part of Daejeon Metropolitan City’s “Daejeon-type New Convergence Industry Creation Special Zone Technology Demonstration Project.”

###

The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM) is a non-profit government-funded research institute under the Ministry of Science and ICT. Since its foundation in 1976, KIMM is contributing to economic growth of the nation by performing R&D on key technologies in machinery and materials, conducting reliability test evaluation, and commercializing the developed products and technologies.

 

This research was conducted with the support of the project for the “development of ultra-high performance infectious waste treatment system capable of eliminating 99.9999 percent of viruses in response to the post-coronavirus era,” one of the basic business support programs of the KIMM, as well as the project for the “demonstration and development of a safety design convergence-type high-pressure steam sterilization system for on-site treatment of medical waste,” part of Daejeon Metropolitan City’s “Daejeon-type New Convergence Industry Creation Special Zone Technology Demonstration Project.”


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