Michigan Compliance

Michigan Medical Waste Laws

A plain-English checklist for confirming your facility meets Michigan’s medical waste requirements — registration, management plan, storage limits, containers, and training.

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Use this checklist as a simple way to help confirm your facility is meeting Michigan’s medical waste requirements under Public Health Code Act 368 Part 1238.

For legal interpretations or questions specific to your facility, you may also contact the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). For anything operational — registration, plans, containers, pickups, training — that’s what we do every day. See the EGLE regulatory references.

Certificate of Registration

Facilities that produce or store medical waste must register with EGLE.

A medical waste registration is valid for three years. Registration fees generally range from $50 to $150 depending on the type of facility.

Facilities that may need to register include:

Healthcare facilities
Dental and veterinary offices
Public schools
Laboratories
Manufacturers
Other businesses that produce or store medical waste

Facilities can create a MiEnviro account and begin the registration process here:

Create a MiEnviro account

How Superior can help+

Our team can walk you through the MiEnviro account setup process and help make sure your facility is properly registered with the State of Michigan.

Medical Waste Management Plan

Every registered producing facility must keep a written Medical Waste Management Plan on-site.

The plan should explain how medical waste is handled from the time it is generated until final treatment and disposal.

Your plan should include:

The types of medical waste your facility produces
Segregation, packaging, labeling and collection procedures
Medical waste storage areas and containers
Decontamination and disposal methods
The name of your medical waste transporter
The final treatment or disposal facility
Procedures used to protect employees from exposure
Required training, PPE and containment measures
The person responsible for managing medical waste

It is also helpful to include employee medical waste and bloodborne pathogens training records.

How Superior can help+

Our compliance team can help develop your plan, review it with your staff and make sure a completed copy is properly maintained at your facility. We can also provide on-site or remote walkthroughs.

Follow Medical Waste Storage Limits

Most medical waste cannot remain at a producing facility for more than 90 days.

Sharps containers follow a separate rule. A sharps container can be stored longer than 90 days but then must be removed when it reaches three-quarters full or after 18 months from the date the first sharp was placed inside, whichever happens first.

Medical waste bags and sharps containers must also be secured to prevent leakage during storage, handling and transportation.

Best practices include:

Using a designated medical waste storage area
Clearly labeling the storage area
Keeping containers closed and secure
Tracking when containers are placed into use
Keeping shipping and treatment records available

Local health departments may review medical waste manifests or shipping documents to confirm when waste was removed and treated.

How Superior can help+

We help select a pickup schedule that fits your facility’s waste volume and storage limits. Our online manifest system documents each pickup so your records are organized and ready for inspection.

Use Proper Medical Waste Containers

Medical waste must be stored in containers designed to prevent leaks, spills and releases.

Containers should be:

Strong enough for the waste being stored
Properly closed and secured
Marked with the biohazard symbol
Identified as regulated medical waste
Suitable for transportation when removed from the facility

Using one container that meets both storage and transportation requirements can simplify the process and reduce repackaging.

How Superior can help+

We provide containers that are appropriate for on-site storage and approved for transportation. Your staff can safely store the waste, and our team can remove it without unnecessary handling or repackaging.

See our containers & supplies

Complete Required Employee Training

Employees involved in handling, packaging, storing or signing for medical waste should receive medical waste training.

The employee signing the medical waste shipping document should also understand the packaging, labeling and shipping requirements.

Bloodborne pathogens training is generally required annually for employees who may be exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials while performing their job duties.

Training records should be kept available for inspection.

How Superior can help+

Our online training platform provides annual medical waste and bloodborne pathogens training for your staff. Employees can complete training remotely, receive certificates and keep their compliance records organized.

Explore OSHA online training

Michigan compliance questions

The four we field most often. There are more on the EGLE regulatory information page.

How long can a facility in Michigan store medical waste?+

Most medical waste cannot be stored at your facility for more than 90 days. The 90-day period begins when the storage container is first put into use, not when it becomes full. Your waste should be removed before that deadline. Sharps containers follow a separate rule: an in-use sharps container may remain onsite for up to 18 months, but it must be closed once it reaches three-quarters full. Once closed, it is still subject to the facility’s applicable 90-day medical waste storage limit.

I am not a healthcare facility. Am I still regulated?+

Yes. Michigan regulates any medical waste-producing facility, not just traditional healthcare providers. For example, a public school that stores used EpiPens, sharps, or materials saturated with blood is still subject to EGLE’s medical waste requirements. The same applies to a manufacturing facility that produces or stores regulated medical waste. If your organization produces or stores regulated medical waste, you must follow the applicable registration, storage, handling, training, and disposal requirements.

Who is authorized to inspect our facility?+

Several government agencies may inspect how your organization handles medical waste. In Michigan, this may include EGLE, your local health department, and MIOSHA. The Michigan State Police may also review how waste is packaged and prepared for transportation, while federal DOT or PHMSA inspectors may examine shipping documents, employee training, and transportation procedures. Because multiple agencies regulate different parts of the process, your facility should be prepared to show that its medical waste is properly stored, packaged, documented, and shipped.

I am just getting started. What am I missing?+

There are several steps involved in becoming fully compliant with Michigan’s medical waste requirements. A good first step is registering your business or organization with EGLE as a medical waste-producing facility using a free MiEnviro account. After registration, you may also need a written Medical Waste Management Plan, proper storage containers, employee training, pickup records, and compliant transportation documentation. Contact our team and we can help identify what applies to your facility and guide you through the process.

Create a MiEnviro account

Need the source documents?

The Michigan Medical Waste Regulatory Act, administrative rules, and the state inspection form are all collected on our EGLE reference page.

View references

Need help with your Michigan compliance?

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