Medical waste rules in Rockford, IL
Illinois calls it potentially infectious medical waste (PIMW). The Illinois EPA regulates it under Title XV of the Environmental Protection Act and 35 Ill. Adm. Code Parts 1420 to 1422: PIMW is waste generated in the diagnosis, treatment or immunization of humans or animals, in related research, or in producing or testing biologicals (35 Ill. Adm. Code 1420.102).
- Packaging: PIMW leaving the site goes in containers that are rigid, leak-resistant, impervious to moisture, strong enough not to tear or burst in normal handling, and sealed for transport; sharps containers must also be puncture-resistant.
- Labeling: two opposite sides of each package show the word BIOHAZARD, the word Sharps where applicable, and the international biohazard symbol, readable from five feet, plus a water-resistant label with the generator's name, address and phone number in indelible ink.
- Storage: keep PIMW in a non-putrescent state, refrigerating when necessary. The limits are 72 hours unless the package surface is held at or below 45°F, and 30 days regardless of temperature.
- Transport: only a hauler with an Illinois EPA PIMW permit may carry PIMW, and only to a permitted transfer, storage or treatment facility.
- Manifests: the hauler initiates a PIMW manifest for each shipment and leaves the generator a copy. A manifest is not required when less than 50 pounds is carried non-commercially at one time or when the U.S. Postal Service is the carrier (35 Ill. Adm. Code 1420.105(e)). Facilities keep manifest copies for at least three years.
- Treatment: untreated PIMW may not go to a landfill. Treatment must eliminate the infectious potential of the waste and sharps must be rendered unrecognizable or properly packaged before disposal (35 Ill. Adm. Code 1422).
Source: Illinois EPA, Potentially Infectious Medical Waste regulations.
Reviewed September 2026.
General information, not legal advice. Requirements change; we confirm what applies to your facility during onboarding.Illinois overviewAll states