Wisconsin Biohazard Waste Regulations

Highlighted Requirements

The containers of infectious waste shall be removed and emptied as necessary, but at least every 90 days.

The infectious waste generator shall retain the original infectious waste manifest, and the certification of infectious waste treatment for at least 3 years after the waste has been treated, and provide the department copies of manifests upon request. If the 3­year period expires during an unresolved enforcement action, the period is automatically extended until resolution of the pending enforcement action. Note: Hospitals, clinics and nursing homes should keep records for at least 5 years

Overview

Wisconsin’s medical waste disposal regulations are managed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The complete detailed disposal requirements are outlined in Chapter NR 526 Medical Waste Management.

OSHA Regulations

In addition to the state medical waste environmental regulations there are some Occupational Safety and Health Administration rules that apply to medical/infectious waste. Alabama is one of 26 states covered entirely by the federal OSHA program. OSHA rules (Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens Standards) impact various aspects of medical/infectious waste, including management of sharps, requirements for containers that hold or store medical/infectious waste, labeling of medical/infectious waste bags/containers, and employee training.