A waste autoclave is a form of solid waste treatment that uses heat, steam and pressure of an industrial autoclave in the processing of waste. Waste autoclaves process waste either in batches or in continuous-flow processes. In batch processes, saturated steam is pumped into the autoclave at temperatures around 160 °C. The steam pressure in the vessel is maintained up to 6 bar (gauge) for a period of up to 45 minutes to allow the process to fully 'cook' the waste. The autoclave process gives a very high pathogen and virus kill rate, although the fibrous products which come from the process are susceptible to bacteria and fungus as they are high in starch, cellulose and amino acids. When designed for sterilizing waste containing mostly liquids, a waste autoclave is known as an Effluent Decontamination System. Some autoclaves, also referred to as waste converters, can operate in the atmospheric pressure range to achieve full sterilization of pathogenic waste. Super heating conditions and steam generation are achieved by variable pressure control, which cycles between ambient and negative pressure within the sterilization vessel. The advantage of this new approach is the elimination of complexities associated with operating pressure vessels. However, steam that is not 97% saturated may not contain sufficient energy to kill the spores that may be on the surface of the items it comes in contact with. Process results In "batch system" autoclave processes, the 'cooking' process causes plastics to soften and flatten, paper and other fibrous material to disintegrate into a fibrous mass, bottles and metal objects to be cleaned, and labels etc., to be removed. The process reduces the bulk volume of the waste by ~60%. After 'cooking', the steam flow is stopped and the pressure vented via a condenser. When depressurised, the autoclave door is opened, and by rotating the drum the 'cooked' material can be discharged and separated by a series of screens and recovery systems. In continuous flow autoclave processes, glass, stones, and metals are removed from the waste stream before the "cooking" process begins, thus saving considerable energy, labor and equipment costs. With this process, waste enters and the product leaves the autoclave without the loss of temperature or pressure in the vessel. The material moves continuously through the process via computer-controlled process conveyors. After the waste is loaded onto the initial conveyor, the entire process is automated and it does not require human