Medical Waste Disposal in Ohio
MedPro Disposal provides regulated medical waste, sharps and pharmaceutical waste pickup and disposal for healthcare facilities everywhere in Ohio, on a schedule that keeps your closed containers moving well inside the state’s 60-day limit.
How is medical waste disposal regulated in Ohio?
Ohio regulates medical waste as “infectious waste” under Revised Code 3734.021 and Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 3745-570, enforced by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s Division of Materials and Waste Management. A generator that produces 50 pounds or more in any month is a large generator: it must register with Ohio EPA and have all its infectious waste treated before disposal, while smaller generators must weigh and log their waste each month. Every generator must make sure closed containers reach a treatment facility (or, for a small generator, are lawfully disposed of) within 60 days, and transport of infectious waste is regulated as a hazardous material by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO).
- State term
- Infectious waste
- Rules
- OAC Chapter 3745-570
- Enforced by
- Ohio EPA
- Closed containers out
- Within 60 days
Key takeaways
- Ohio regulates medical waste as “infectious waste” under R.C. 3734.021 and Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 3745-570, enforced by Ohio EPA’s Division of Materials and Waste Management.
- An Ohio generator that produces 50 pounds or more of infectious waste in any one month must apply to Ohio EPA for a large generator registration certificate within 30 days after the end of that month.
- Every Ohio infectious waste generator must ensure closed containers are received by a treatment facility, or lawfully disposed of by a small generator, within 60 days (OAC 3745-570-100(C)).
- Ohio small generators (under 50 pounds a month) must weigh and record their infectious waste each calendar month for each premises and show the log to Ohio EPA or the health district on request.
- Ohio large generators must have all infectious waste treated before disposal and keep copies of all disposal papers for at least five years (OAC 3745-570-120).
Ohio Medical Waste Rules
Medical waste is regulated mainly by each state, with a few federal rules on top. In Ohio it’s governed by Revised Code 3734.021 and the infectious waste rules in Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 3745-570, which Ohio EPA adopted effective April 6, 2025 to replace the older rules in Chapter 3745-27. What you must do depends on how much you generate: 50 pounds in any one month is the dividing line. Here’s what the rules require of a practice, clinic or other healthcare facility.
What Ohio regulates
Infectious Wastes
Any wastes or combination of wastes that include cultures and stocks of infectious agents and associated biologicals, human blood and blood products, and substances that were or are likely to have been exposed to or contaminated with or are likely to transmit an infectious agent or zoonotic agent. “Blood products” doesn’t include patient care waste such as bandages or disposable gowns lightly soiled with blood or other body fluids, unless the generator decides they should be managed as infectious waste — and a generator may choose to manage any other contaminated waste as infectious. Waste from a private home that isn’t the result of a business, and waste people generate for their own care and throw out with household trash, are outside the rules.
- Laboratory wastes
- Pathological wastes
- Animal blood and blood products
- Animal carcasses and parts
- Waste from the rooms of humans, or enclosures of animals, isolated because of a diagnosed communicable disease
- Sharp wastes used in the treatment, diagnosis or inoculation of humans or animals
- Other diagnosis, treatment or immunization wastes the director of health designates as infectious
Who regulates medical waste in Ohio
Ohio EPA — Division of Materials and Waste Management
Writes and enforces Ohio’s infectious waste rules for generators and treatment facilities, issues large generator registration certificates through its eBusiness Center, and approves treatment technologies. Approved local health districts license treatment facilities and can request small generators’ records.
Lazarus Government Center, 50 W. Town St., Suite 700, Columbus, OH 43215
Official websitePublic Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO)
Regulates the transportation of infectious waste as a hazardous material, enforcing the U.S. DOT hazardous materials regulations it has adopted for motor carriers and shippers in Ohio.
Federal OSHA — Columbus Area Office
Ohio has no OSHA-approved State Plan, so federal OSHA enforces the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard for private employers. Area offices in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and Toledo cover all 88 counties.
Key Ohio requirements
| Topic | Requirement | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Generator size and monthly log | A small generator produces less than 50 pounds of infectious waste in every month at each premises; a large generator produces 50 pounds or more in any one month at any premises, or already holds a registration certificate. Small generators must weigh and record the pounds of infectious waste generated each calendar month for each premises and provide it to Ohio EPA or the approved health district on request. | OAC 3745-570-02(L), (S)(5); 3745-570-110(A)(4) |
| Large generator registration | Within 30 days after the last day of the month in which you generated 50 pounds or more, apply to Ohio EPA for a registration certificate listing each premises that generates 50 pounds or more a month, with a $140 nonrefundable fee. The certificate is valid for three years; renew at least 30 days before it expires, or apply to revert to small generator status if you stayed under 50 pounds a month for the prior six months. | R.C. 3734.021(B)(1)(b)(i); OAC 3745-570-125 |
| Segregation and sharps | Identify and separate infectious waste from other waste at the point of generation. Large generators must place it in containers labeled with the biohazard symbol until it’s rendered noninfectious and may not compact or grind it before treatment. All generators must put infectious sharps in a container designed for sharps and labeled with the biohazard symbol. | OAC 3745-570-110(A)(2)–(3), 3745-570-120(A)(3)–(5) |
| Handling and storage | Keep containers intact, with no waste escaping, and keep the waste nonputrescent, using refrigeration or freezing when necessary; waste that becomes putrescent must be refrigerated or frozen immediately and treated as soon as possible. Indoor storage needs visible biohazard-symbol signage at all points of access; outdoor storage, including trucks and trailers, must be locked and signed. Rental self-storage units are prohibited, and large generators may store only at locations listed on their certificate. Ohio sets no temperature limits for generators. | OAC 3745-570-31 |
| 60-day limit | Within 60 days after containers of infectious waste are closed and no longer in use, the generator must ensure they’re received by an infectious waste treatment facility or, for a small generator, lawfully disposed of as solid waste. This applies to every generator. (Treatment facilities, including large generators that treat their own waste, may hold untreated waste only 14 days.) | OAC 3745-570-100(C), 3745-570-31(F) |
| Treatment and disposal | Large generators must have all infectious waste treated to render it noninfectious before disposal, on site by an approved method or at a licensed treatment facility (or a compliant facility in another state). Approved methods are incineration, autoclaving, bleach treatment of cultures, ozone and approved alternative technologies, each meeting a 6-log10 spore reduction. Small generators must treat cultures and stocks of infectious agents; state law lets them dispose of their other infectious waste as solid waste, though Ohio EPA notes some haulers and landfills won’t accept it. | R.C. 3734.021(B)(1); OAC 3745-570-110, 3745-570-120(A)(6), 3745-570-201 |
| Transport | Infectious waste in transport is a hazardous material regulated by PUCO, which enforces the federal hazardous materials regulations (49 CFR 171–180) for carriers and shippers in Ohio. Carriers hauling hazardous materials within Ohio register with PUCO; interstate carriers need a USDOT number and a PHMSA hazardous materials registration. Ohio EPA’s infectious waste rules don’t create a separate hauler permit. | OAC 4901:2-5-03 |
| Disposal papers and records | Treated infectious waste must travel to the landfill with a disposal paper certifying it was treated. Large generators must keep copies of all disposal papers for at least five years, or longer if Ohio EPA requests in writing. Small generators keep the monthly generation log; shipping papers showing weights can serve as that log. | OAC 3745-570-120(A)(7)–(8), 3745-570-130 |
- R.C. 3734.021
Infectious wastes
Requires infectious waste to be segregated, managed, treated and disposed of under Ohio EPA rules; sets the 50-pound monthly line for registration and treatment; and lets generators under 50 pounds a month dispose of waste as solid waste (except cultures).
- R.C. 3734.01(R)
Definition of infectious wastes
The legal definition of infectious wastes and its categories, plus the definitions of infectious agent and zoonotic agent.
- OAC Chapter 3745-570
Infectious Waste
Definitions, handling and storage, the 60-day rule, small and large generator requirements, registration certificates, disposal papers, and treatment methods and facilities. Effective April 6, 2025.
- OAC 4901:2-5-03
Adoption of U.S. DOT safety standards
PUCO’s rule adopting the federal hazardous materials regulations (49 CFR 171–180) for motor carriers, hazardous materials transporters and shippers operating in Ohio.
Federal rules that also apply
| Topic | Requirement | Source |
|---|---|---|
| OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens | Sharps containers must be closable, puncture-resistant, leakproof on the sides and bottom, labeled or color-coded, and kept upright and within easy reach. Other regulated-waste containers must be closable, leak-proof and labeled with the biohazard symbol (or red). Ohio has no OSHA-approved State Plan: federal OSHA covers private employers, and state and local government workers aren’t covered by federal OSHA. | 29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(4)(iii), (g)(1) |
| 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. Ohio’s rules point large generators to these packaging standards, and PUCO applies them to shipments within Ohio. | 49 CFR 173.134, 173.197; OAC 3745-570-120; OAC 4901:2-5-03 |
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.
Ohio infectious waste compliance checklist
Use this to check your facility against Ohio’s infectious waste rules (OAC Chapter 3745-570) and the federal OSHA standard. MedPro handles the pickup, transport and treatment — the rest happens in your facility.
Get Compliant Pickup- 1
You know your generator size
Weigh and log your infectious waste in pounds every calendar month for each premises. Under 50 lb in every month is a small generator; 50 lb or more in any one month is a large generator.
- 2
You registered if you reached 50 lb in a month
Apply to Ohio EPA through its eBusiness Center within 30 days after the end of that month. The certificate costs $140, lasts three years and lists every premises that generates 50 lb or more a month.
- 3
Infectious waste is separated where it’s generated
It goes into its own containers at the point of generation, never mixed with regular trash. Large generators must use containers labeled with the biohazard symbol.
- 4
Sharps go in labeled sharps containers
Every infectious sharp goes into a container designed for sharps and labeled with the biohazard symbol.
- 5
Your storage area is secured and signed
Indoor storage needs the biohazard symbol posted at every point of access; outdoor storage must be locked and signed. Never store infectious waste in a rental self-storage unit.
- 6
Waste stays nonputrescent
Refrigerate or freeze when needed, and keep containers intact and away from insects, rodents and birds. Waste that becomes putrescent must be refrigerated or frozen at once and treated as soon as possible.
- 7
Closed containers are out within 60 days
Once a container is closed and no longer in use, it must reach a treatment facility within 60 days. A regular pickup schedule takes care of this.
- 8
Disposal papers are kept for five years
Large generators keep copies of all disposal papers for at least five years, or longer if Ohio EPA asks in writing.
Ohio Medical Waste Savings
Projected annual savings from quotes we’ve prepared for Ohio 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care Clinic | 44203 | $6,149 |
| Dermatology | 44122 | $4,692 |
| Family Medical Center | 45601 | $7,080 |
| General Practice | 45236 | $7,100 |
| Women’s Health | 45242 | $2,156 |
| Halfway House | 45206 | $23,430 |
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 Ohio
MedPro Disposal provides regulated medical waste pickup and disposal to healthcare facilities in every part of Ohio — wherever your practice is. Local service pages include:
Near the state line? We serve the neighboring states too.
Ohio Medical Waste FAQs
What counts as medical waste in Ohio?
Ohio calls it infectious waste. It includes cultures and stocks of infectious agents, human blood and blood products, laboratory and pathological wastes, animal blood, carcasses and parts, waste from isolation rooms for diagnosed communicable disease, and sharps used in treating, diagnosing or inoculating people or animals (R.C. 3734.01(R)). Bandages and gowns only lightly soiled with blood aren’t included unless you choose to manage them as infectious.
Who regulates medical waste disposal in Ohio?
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, through its Division of Materials and Waste Management, regulates infectious waste generators and treatment facilities under R.C. Chapter 3734 and OAC Chapter 3745-570. The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio regulates its transportation as a hazardous material, and federal OSHA enforces the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard for private employers.
Do Ohio medical practices need to register with the state?
Only if they generate 50 pounds or more of infectious waste in any one month. Then they must apply to Ohio EPA for a large generator registration certificate within 30 days after the end of that month, with a $140 fee; the certificate lasts three years (OAC 3745-570-125). Practices under 50 pounds don’t register, but must weigh and log their infectious waste every month (OAC 3745-570-110).
How long can a medical practice store medical waste in Ohio?
Once a container is closed and no longer in use, it must be received by an infectious waste treatment facility within 60 days (OAC 3745-570-100(C)). Ohio sets no temperature limits for generators, but waste must be kept nonputrescent, using refrigeration or freezing when necessary, and must never be stored in a rental self-storage unit (OAC 3745-570-31). MedPro sets your pickup schedule so containers leave well inside that window.
Can small Ohio generators throw medical waste in the regular trash?
State law lets generators under 50 pounds a month dispose of infectious waste as solid waste after weighing and logging it, except cultures and stocks of infectious agents, which must be treated (R.C. 3734.021; OAC 3745-570-110). Ohio EPA notes that some solid waste haulers and landfills won’t accept this waste, and OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens rules still apply in your workplace — which is why many practices use a medical waste service instead.
What does Ohio require of medical waste haulers?
Ohio EPA says the transportation of infectious waste is regulated by PUCO as a hazardous material. PUCO enforces the federal hazardous materials regulations (49 CFR 171–180) for shipping papers, marking, labeling, packaging and placards; carriers hauling within Ohio register with PUCO, and interstate carriers need a USDOT number and PHMSA hazardous materials registration (OAC 4901:2-5-03).
How long do I need to keep medical waste records in Ohio?
Large generators must keep copies of all disposal papers for at least five years, or longer if Ohio EPA asks in writing (OAC 3745-570-120(A)(8)). Small generators must keep a monthly generation log of pounds generated at each premises and provide it to Ohio EPA or the health district on request; shipping papers that show weights can serve as the log (OAC 3745-570-110(A)(4)).
Where in Ohio does MedPro Disposal provide service?
Everywhere in Ohio — we service facilities statewide. We also have local service pages for Akron, Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Parma, Westerville and Youngstown.
Our services in Ohio
Industries we serve
Sources
- R.C. 3734.021 — Infectious wastes — Ohio Legislative Service Commission, Ohio Laws
- R.C. 3734.01 — Definitions (infectious wastes) — Ohio Legislative Service Commission, Ohio Laws
- OAC Chapter 3745-570 — Infectious Waste — Ohio Legislative Service Commission, Ohio Laws
- OAC 3745-570-02 — Definitions — Ohio Legislative Service Commission, Ohio Laws
- OAC 3745-570-31 — Handling and storage of infectious waste — Ohio Legislative Service Commission, Ohio Laws
- OAC 3745-570-100 — Infectious waste generators, general obligations — Ohio Legislative Service Commission, Ohio Laws
- OAC 3745-570-110 — Requirements for small generators — Ohio Legislative Service Commission, Ohio Laws
- OAC 3745-570-120 — Requirements for large generators — Ohio Legislative Service Commission, Ohio Laws
- OAC 3745-570-125 — Registration certificate for large generators — Ohio Legislative Service Commission, Ohio Laws
- OAC 3745-570-201 — Approved infectious waste treatment methods — Ohio Legislative Service Commission, Ohio Laws
- OAC 4901:2-5-03 — Adoption of U.S. DOT safety standards — Ohio Legislative Service Commission, Ohio Laws
- Infectious Waste — Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
- Small Generators of Infectious Waste (guidance, June 2025) — Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
- Large Generators of Infectious Waste (guidance, June 2025) — Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
- Basics for hazardous materials carriers — Public Utilities Commission of Ohio
- Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030 — U.S. OSHA
- State Plans (Ohio is under federal OSHA) — U.S. OSHA
- Ohio OSHA Area Offices — U.S. OSHA
- Infectious substances, 49 CFR 173.134 — eCFR
- Regulated medical waste, 49 CFR 173.197 — eCFR
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