Medical Waste Disposal Compliance for Small Practices 2025

Waste Categories

Sharps, biohazard (red bag) waste, pathological, trace chemo, pharmaceutical (hazardous and non-hazardous), amalgam.

Containerization & Segregation

Use FDA-cleared sharps containers; red bag for biohazard; close, label, and store per OSHA/CDC guidance. Keep pharmaceuticals separate.

Pickup & Mail-Back

Pickups on fixed cadence (weekly–monthly). Mail-back programs for low volumes (sharps, non-hazardous pharma) with tracking and CoD.

Costs

Small clinics: $75–$250 per pickup depending on volume and category mix. Mail-back kits $30–$100.

Compliance

OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens training, exposure control plans, HIPAA for documents, DOT packaging for transport, state rules vary.

Documentation

Maintain manifests/CoDs, training records, spill logs, and vendor certifications. Audit annually.

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Last updated: 2025-02-06