Medical Waste Disposal in Michigan
MedPro Disposal provides regulated medical waste, sharps and pharmaceutical waste pickup and disposal for healthcare facilities everywhere in Michigan — the Lower Peninsula and the U.P. — on a schedule that keeps you inside the state’s 90-day storage limit.
How is medical waste disposal regulated in Michigan?
Michigan regulates “medical waste” under the Medical Waste Regulatory Act, Part 138 of the Public Health Code (MCL 333.13801 et seq.), and its rules (R 325.1541–325.1549), administered by the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). Every producing facility must register with EGLE every three years and keep a written medical waste management plan on the premises. Medical waste can’t be stored on site for more than 90 days, while sharps in a sharps container can stay until the container is no more than three-quarters full, for up to 18 months. Waste leaving your site must be packaged to Part 138 and U.S. DOT standards, and EGLE inspectors look for shipment and training records going back three years.
- State term
- Medical waste
- Law
- MCL 333.13801 et seq. (Part 138)
- Enforced by
- EGLE
- Onsite storage
- 90 days; sharps up to 18 months
Key takeaways
- Michigan regulates medical waste under the Medical Waste Regulatory Act, Part 138 of the Public Health Code (MCL 333.13801 et seq.), administered by EGLE’s Medical Waste Regulatory Program.
- Every Michigan medical waste producing facility must register with EGLE, renew every three years, and pay a fee of $50 to $150 depending on the facility type.
- Michigan producing facilities must keep a written medical waste management plan on the premises within 90 days of registering and update it within 30 days of any change.
- Michigan producing facilities may not store medical waste on site for more than 90 days, but sharps in a sharps container may stay until it is no more than 3/4 full, for up to 18 months from the first sharp.
- Michigan producing facilities must train employees who handle medical waste before they start those duties and keep training records for at least three years (R 325.1547).
Michigan Medical Waste Rules
Medical waste is regulated mainly by each state, with a few federal rules on top. In Michigan it’s governed by the Medical Waste Regulatory Act — Part 138 of the Public Health Code, 1978 PA 368 — and the Medical Waste Producing Facilities rules, administered by EGLE’s Medical Waste Regulatory Program. Here’s what they require of a practice, clinic or other healthcare facility.
What Michigan regulates
Medical Waste
Any of the categories below that is not generated by a household, a farm operation or other agricultural business, a home for the aged, or a home health care agency. Blood and body fluids are covered in liquid form; urine and materials merely stained with blood or body fluids (items that can’t release liquid or semiliquid blood when compressed, or caked, dried blood or body fluids that can’t be released when handled) are not. Pathological waste means human organs, tissues, body parts other than teeth, products of conception, and fluids removed by trauma or during surgery, autopsy or another medical procedure, and not fixed in formaldehyde. Sharps are medical waste whether or not they are contaminated.
- Cultures and stocks of infectious agents and associated biologicals, including laboratory waste, biological production wastes, discarded live and attenuated vaccines, and culture dishes and related devices
- Liquid human and animal waste, including blood, blood products and body fluids (not urine or materials stained with blood or body fluids)
- Pathological waste
- Sharps (needles, syringes, scalpels, and intravenous tubing with needles attached)
- Contaminated wastes from animals exposed to agents infectious to humans, primarily research animals
Who regulates medical waste in Michigan
EGLE — Medical Waste Regulatory Program
Part of EGLE’s Materials Management Division. Administers and enforces the Medical Waste Regulatory Act and its rules: registers producing facilities (through the MiEnviro Portal), inspects them and investigates complaints.
Deborah A. Stabenow Building, 525 W. Allegan Street, P.O. Box 30473, Lansing, MI 48909-7973
Official websiteMIOSHA — Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Runs Michigan’s OSHA State Plan, part of the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. It covers private employers and state and local government workers and enforces its own Bloodborne Infectious Diseases standard (Part 554).
Key Michigan requirements
| Topic | Requirement | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | Every producing facility — any facility that generates, stores, decontaminates or incinerates medical waste — must register with EGLE. The certificate is valid for three years. Fees: $50 for a private practice office with fewer than four physicians, dentists, podiatrists, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives or veterinarians; $20 per licensee (up to $80) for four or more; $75 for other health facilities and non-health facilities; $150 for hospitals with 150 or more beds and clinical laboratories. A new owner must register as a new facility. | MCL 333.13813, 333.13815; R 325.1545, 325.1546 |
| Medical waste management plan | Within 90 days after registering, a producing facility must have a written plan on the premises describing the types of medical waste handled, segregation, packaging, labeling and collection, storage, decontamination or incineration, the haulers it uses, disposal sites, employee exposure controls and the person responsible. It must be updated within 30 days of a change and shown to EGLE on request. | MCL 333.13813(1), 333.13817 |
| Segregation and labeling | Medical waste must be separated by category at the point of origin into containers labeled with the biohazard symbol or the words “medical waste” or “pathological waste” in letters at least 1 inch high. It may not be compacted or mixed with other waste before decontamination, incineration and disposal. | MCL 333.13809(a)–(e) |
| Onsite storage | Medical waste must be stored so it can’t putrefy or expose people or the air to infectious agents; if stored outside the building, it must be in a secured area or a locked container weighing more than 500 pounds. It may not be stored on the premises for more than 90 days, counted from when use of the container begins. Sharps in a sharps container may be stored until the container is no more than 3/4 full, but no longer than 18 months from the first sharp. | MCL 333.13809(f)–(i), 333.13810; R 325.1542(3) |
| Packaging for transport | Sharps go in individual leakproof, rigid, puncture-resistant containers secured against loss and conspicuously labeled “sharps”, and may not be compacted or handled in transport in a way that breaks the container. Other medical waste goes in moisture-impervious bags or containers strong enough not to rip, tear or burst, secured against leaks. Containers must also meet the Motor Carrier Safety Act, which adopts U.S. DOT hazardous materials rules. Part 138 has no separate state transporter permit; your plan must name your hauler. | MCL 333.13821; R 325.1542(1); MCL 480.11a |
| Treatment and disposal | Cultures and stocks must be autoclaved or incinerated before landfilling. Pathological waste must be incinerated or cremated, ground and flushed to a sanitary sewer, buried in a cemetery, or ground until unrecognizable before landfilling. Sharps must be incinerated or decontaminated and ground unrecognizable, or landfilled intact in rigid, puncture-resistant containers. Other EGLE-approved processes are allowed, and facilities that treat on site must test their equipment and keep the latest results. | MCL 333.13811; R 325.1543, 325.1544 |
| Training and records | Employees who handle medical waste must be trained on the facility’s plan before taking on those duties, and again when a plan change affects them. Training records (name, job classification, dates) must be kept for at least three years. Part 138 doesn’t prescribe a shipment form; EGLE inspectors check shipping papers from your disposal company showing removal at least every 90 days and proper treatment, kept for three years. | R 325.1547; EGLE Medical Waste Producers Transport Summary |
- MCL 333.13801–333.13832 (Public Health Code, Part 138)
Medical Waste Regulatory Act
Defines medical waste and sets the rules for producing facilities: registration and fees, the medical waste management plan, segregation, labeling, storage limits, packaging for transport, treatment and disposal methods, training, and fines of up to $2,500 per violation plus $1,000 a day.
- Mich. Admin. Code R 325.1541–325.1549
Medical Waste Producing Facilities
Clarifies definitions (including “stained” materials and syringes), starts the 90-day storage clock when a container is first used, requires transport packaging to meet the Motor Carrier Safety Act, and sets equipment testing, multi-site registration and employee training rules.
- MCL 480.11a
Motor Carrier Safety Act of 1963
Adopts the federal hazardous materials regulations (49 CFR parts 105–180) for transport in Michigan, including intrastate shipments — the packaging standard R 325.1542 applies to medical waste leaving your site.
Federal rules that also apply
| Topic | Requirement | Source |
|---|---|---|
| MIOSHA Bloodborne Infectious Diseases | Michigan runs its own OSHA State Plan, MIOSHA, covering private employers and state and local government workers; federal employers stay under federal OSHA. MIOSHA enforces its own standard, Part 554, Bloodborne Infectious Diseases: contaminated sharps go immediately into closable, leakproof, puncture-resistant, labeled or color-coded containers kept close to where sharps are used and not allowed to overfill; other regulated waste goes into closable, leakproof, labeled or color-coded containers or bags; and disposal must follow the Medical Waste Regulatory Act. | Mich. Admin. Code R 325.70001–325.70018 (R 325.70010); cf. 29 CFR 1910.1030 |
| DOT shipping | Regulated medical waste ships as Division 6.2, UN3291, in rigid packaging that meets UN Packing Group II standards, with puncture-resistant containers for sharps. Michigan applies these federal rules to intrastate shipments too, through the Motor Carrier Safety Act and R 325.1542. | 49 CFR 173.134, 173.197; MCL 480.11a; R 325.1542(1) |
Reviewed September 2026. This is a plain-language summary to help you plan, not legal advice — rules change, so confirm details with the agencies above. MedPro handles transport, treatment and manifests for you and can help you understand what applies to your facility.
Michigan medical waste compliance checklist
Use this to check your facility against Michigan’s Medical Waste Regulatory Act (Part 138), EGLE’s rules and MIOSHA’s bloodborne standard. MedPro handles the pickup, transport and treatment — the rest happens in your facility.
Get Compliant Pickup- 1
Your EGLE registration is current
Every producing facility registers with EGLE through the MiEnviro Portal and renews every three years. Keep the certificate of registration on file.
- 2
Your medical waste management plan is on site
It names your waste types, packaging and storage, treatment and disposal, your hauler and the person responsible. Update it within 30 days of any change.
- 3
Waste is separated where it’s generated
Each category goes into its own container at the point of origin, never compacted or mixed with other waste before treatment.
- 4
Containers are labeled
The biohazard symbol, or the words “medical waste” or “pathological waste” in letters at least 1 inch high. Sharps containers are rigid, leakproof, puncture-resistant and marked “sharps”.
- 5
Nothing sits past Michigan’s limits
90 days for medical waste, counted from the day you start using the container. Sharps containers go when no more than 3/4 full, and no later than 18 months after the first sharp.
- 6
Outdoor storage is secured
Any medical waste stored outside the building is in a secured area or a locked container over 500 pounds, kept away from vermin and unauthorized people.
- 7
Employees are trained and it’s documented
Train staff who handle medical waste before they start, and again when a plan change affects their duties. Keep name, job and training dates for three years.
- 8
Shipment records are on file
Keep the paperwork from your disposal company showing each pickup and proper treatment — EGLE inspectors look for three years of records.
Michigan Medical Waste Savings
Projected annual savings from quotes we’ve prepared for Michigan practices. Every practice is different — we charge only for the services you need.
See What You Could Save| Practice Type | ZIP Code | Annual SavingsProjected Annual Savings |
|---|---|---|
| Research Facility | 48235 | $5,845 |
| Cardiology | 48025 | $1,800 |
| Pain Management | 48025 | $6,936 |
| Veterinary | 48732 | $14,700 |
| Health Care Clinic | 48507 | $5,400 |
| Ophthalmology | 48532 | $6,149 |
It’s Easy to Get Started With MedPro Disposal
- 01
Contact Us
Contact MedPro Disposal for a fast, free medical waste removal quote. We’ll get to know you, discuss your needs, and settle on a number.
- 02
Waste Pickup Date
Work with MedPro Disposal to determine your first pickup date. We’ll confirm your office hours and provide convenient options for medical waste and sharps pickup.
- 03
Compliance Survey
After we get to know your requirements, we’ll send you a survey to identify any areas that need to be brought up to OSHA standards. All three steps occur at no additional cost to your practice.
We service all of Michigan
MedPro Disposal provides regulated medical waste pickup and disposal to healthcare facilities in every part of Michigan — wherever your practice is. Local service pages include:
Near the state line? We serve the neighboring states too.
Michigan Medical Waste FAQs
What counts as medical waste in Michigan?
Michigan’s Medical Waste Regulatory Act covers five categories: cultures and stocks of infectious agents (including lab waste and discarded live or attenuated vaccines), liquid blood, blood products and body fluids, pathological waste, sharps, and contaminated waste from research animals (MCL 333.13805(8)). Urine and items only stained with blood or body fluids aren’t medical waste, and neither is waste from households, farms, homes for the aged or home health care agencies. Sharps count whether or not they’re contaminated (R 325.1541).
Who regulates medical waste disposal in Michigan?
The Medical Waste Regulatory Program in EGLE’s Materials Management Division administers the Medical Waste Regulatory Act: it registers producing facilities, inspects them and investigates complaints. MIOSHA, Michigan’s OSHA State Plan, enforces worker protection through its Bloodborne Infectious Diseases standard, and U.S. DOT rules — adopted by Michigan’s Motor Carrier Safety Act — govern shipping.
Do Michigan medical practices need to register with the state?
Yes. Any facility that generates, stores, decontaminates or incinerates medical waste must register with EGLE as a producing facility, renew every three years, and pay a fee — $50 for a private practice with fewer than four licensed practitioners, up to $80 for larger practices, $75 for most other facilities and $150 for hospitals with 150 or more beds and clinical labs (MCL 333.13813, 333.13815). Registration and renewal are done online through EGLE’s MiEnviro Portal. You must also keep a written medical waste management plan on site within 90 days of registering.
How long can a medical practice store medical waste in Michigan?
No more than 90 days, counted from the day you start using the storage container (MCL 333.13809(h); R 325.1542(3)). Since a 2024 amendment, sharps in a sharps container are handled separately: the container can stay on site until it is no more than 3/4 full, but no longer than 18 months after the first sharp goes in (MCL 333.13809(i)). MedPro sets your pickup schedule so you stay inside these limits.
What does Michigan require of medical waste haulers?
Part 138 doesn’t create a separate state permit for medical waste transporters. Instead, your packaging must meet Part 138 (rigid, labeled sharps containers; strong, leak-resistant bags or containers for other waste) and the Motor Carrier Safety Act, which applies U.S. DOT hazardous materials rules to shipments within Michigan (MCL 333.13821; R 325.1542; MCL 480.11a). Sharps can’t be compacted in transport, and your medical waste management plan must name the hauler you use (MCL 333.13817).
How long do I need to keep medical waste records in Michigan?
Keep employee training records — name, job classification and training dates — for at least three years (R 325.1547). EGLE inspectors also look for shipment and treatment paperwork from your disposal company showing waste leaves at least every 90 days and is properly treated, kept for three years, along with your current certificate of registration and management plan.
Where in Michigan does MedPro Disposal provide service?
Everywhere in Michigan — we service facilities statewide, in both the Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula. We also have local service pages for Ann Arbor, Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Rochester Hills, Southfield, Sterling Heights and Warren.
How much does medical waste disposal cost in Michigan?
It depends on how much waste you generate and how often it’s picked up — we charge only for the services you need. MedPro quotes in Michigan have projected annual savings of $14,700 for a veterinary practice, $6,936 for a pain management practice and $6,149 for an ophthalmology practice. Request a free, no-obligation quote for your facility.
Our services in Michigan
Industries we serve
Sources
- Medical Waste Regulatory Act, Public Health Code Part 138 (MCL 333.13801–333.13832) — Michigan Legislature
- MCL 333.13809 — Containment and storage of medical waste (as amended by 2024 PA 105) — Michigan Legislature
- Medical Waste Producing Facilities, R 325.1541–325.1549 — Michigan Office of Administrative Hearings and Rules
- Motor Carrier Safety Act of 1963, MCL 480.11a — Michigan Legislature
- Medical Waste Regulatory Information — Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy
- MiEnviro Portal for medical waste (registration and renewal) — Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy
- Medical Waste Producers Transport Summary — Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy
- Medical Waste Producing Facility Inspection Checklist: Required Documentation — Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy
- Sample Medical Waste Management Plan (EQP 5195) — Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy
- EGLE office locations — Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy
- MIOSHA Part 554, Bloodborne Infectious Diseases (R 325.70001–325.70018) — Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity
- Michigan State Plan — U.S. OSHA
- Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030 — U.S. OSHA
- Infectious substances, 49 CFR 173.134 — eCFR
- Regulated medical waste, 49 CFR 173.197 — eCFR
Partner With MedPro Disposal
More than 40,000 healthcare providers have switched to MedPro Disposal for a safer and more affordable medical waste disposal and compliance training solution. Tell us about your facility and a specialist will follow up fast.
Or call 888-641-6131Get Your Free Quote
Tell us a bit about your facility and we'll follow up fast.