An apparatus for processing medical waste including: (i) a drum defining a substantially cylindrical treatment chamber having a closed end and an open end, wherein the drum is rotationally balanced about a rotational axis (ii) an enclosing body supporting the drum so that the drum can be rotated within the body about the rotational axis of the drum, the body having an opening for accessing the open end of the drum (iii) a movable barrier for selectively closing the opening for accessing the open end of the drum (iv) a structure for supporting the enclosing body so that the pitch of the rotational axis of the drum is positioned or can be positioned in at least one position between about 0 degrees and about 30 degrees and (v) a chemical generator for generating a germicidal agent operatively connected to introduce the germicidal agent into the enclosing body.
