Medical and Infectious Waste

Material Description

Infectious waste includes items such as syringes, blood-soaked bandages, human tissue and microbiological laboratory waste. Other states may refer to these items as "regulated medical waste."

Wisconsin defines "medical waste" as infectious waste and items that may be mixed with infectious waste, in order to call attention to the non-infectious items that should be recycled instead. Pharmaceuticals, mercury thermometers and medical supplies are not "medical waste" under this definition unless they are mixed with infectious waste. For more information on these items, see the links at the bottom of this page. For more information, see What Is Infectious Waste? and Reducing Medical Waste.

Environmental Impacts

When properly managed, infectious waste poses a low risk to public health. The special concern is the potential presence of bloodborne pathogens that may cause diseases like hepatitis and AIDS.

Too Valuable to Waste

Keeping recyclable materials out of the infectious waste stream enables valuable materials to be recovered and also substantially reduces infectious waste disposal costs. Collecting sharps separately from other wastes can reduce costs by reducing needlestick injuries among waste haulers, recycling workers and landfill workers. This can also reduce worker compensation costs.

Legal Requirements

The only legal requirement for households is to properly manage sharps (such as needles, syringes and lancets) according to s. NR 526.04(2), Wis. Adm. Code. For more information, see Sharps Disposal.

Sharps collection stations are regulated under s. NR 526.09(5). For more information, see Sharps Collection.

All other persons generating or managing infectious waste must follow Wisconsin's medical waste rules. Those who generate or manage small quantities of infectious waste must follow all safety-related requirements, but may be exempt from administrative requirements such as licensing and paperwork. Hospitals, clinics and nursing homes may be subject to waste reduction requirements.

For basic information about Wisconsin's medical waste rules, please review the following:

• For Generators of Small Amounts (PUB WA815) [PDF 23KB]
• Medical Waste Reduction and the Annual Report (PUB WA802) [PDF 62KB]

Preferred Handling Option: Separate

Keep infectious wastes separate from other wastes. All sharps must be managed separately from other wastes so they don't harm waste handlers. This includes sharps used on animals and even sterile, unused sharps when discarded. Sharps must be disinfected, broken and unusable before being disposed in a landfill. Sharps Disposal describes how to package and dispose of sharps.

Households: Never put sharps in the trash or with recyclables because they might injure solid waste workers or others who might encounter your waste. See Sharps Disposal. Wrap non-sharp infectious waste in plastic and put in the regular trash. Households may donate useful health care-related items such as wheelchairs and certain medications according to Donating Medical Items. See also Pharmaceutical Waste and Mercury Thermometers.

Non-households: Businesses and institutions must ensure their infectious waste is properly treated before it is landfilled. Segregation (also known as "source separation") is mandatory according to s. NR 526.06. Hospitals, clinics and nursing homes, unless exempt, must write and implement plans for reducing medical waste (see ss. NR 526.16 through.22). See Reducing Medical Waste and medical waste rules.

Information on Infectious Waste

Related Links

• What Is Infectious Waste? - Definitions of terms, lists of items that are and are not considered infectious waste, and resources about infectious waste and bloodborne pathogens.
• Sharps Disposal - How to package sharps for disposal and where to take your sharps as well as information about sharps collection stations and alternatives for disposing of sharps.
• Sharps Collection - How to set up a sharps collection station and how Wisconsin set up its sharps disposal program.
• Reducing Medical Waste - Ideas for reducing medical waste and for writing and implementing medical waste reduction plans required in ch. NR 526.
• Wisconsin Administrative Codes and State Statutes - Citations and key provisions.
• Lists of Licensed Facilities - Several lists relate to infectious waste. The list of infectious waste transporters includes both commercial transporters and medical facilities hauling only their own waste. The list of solid waste storage/processing facilities includes all storage and processing facilities, not just infectious waste facilities. The list of sharps collection stations locates only registered sharps collection stations; please see Sharps Disposal for more disposal options.
• Medical / Infectious Waste Publications and Forms - Publications are located in our searchable publication system.
• FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions about medical and infectious waste.
• Health Care Waste - General information about managing the many different types of waste generated in health care facilities.
• Managing Waste in a Health Care Setting - Overview of how to manage particular wastes generated in health care.
• Pharmaceutical Waste - How to manage and reduce pharmaceutical waste.
• Mercury Thermometers - How to dispose of mercury thermometers and set up a mercury thermometer collection program.
• Donating Medical Items - How to donate medical supplies, equipment, medications and personal care products.
• Dental Waste - Links about mercury amalgams, developer, fixer and other dental wastes.

Contact Information

For more information about waste transportation requirements, contact your local DNR environmental program associate.

For all other questions, please call your local DNR waste management specialist or contact:

Medical Waste Coordinator
Bureau of Waste and Materials Management DNR WA/5
PO Box 7921
Madison WI 53707-7921

Phone: (608) 266-2111
FAX: (608) 267-2768
DNR Medical Waste@Wisconsin.gov