Medical waste rules in Brownsville, TX
Medical waste in Texas is regulated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) under 30 TAC Chapter 326, with the definition of health care–related waste taken from Department of State Health Services rules (25 TAC 1.132). The TCEQ splits generators at 50 pounds a month, which is where most physician, dental and veterinary offices sit.
- What counts: five categories from 25 TAC 1.132(44): waste from animals intentionally exposed to pathogens; bulk blood, blood products and body fluids (100 mL or more in a container); microbiological waste; pathological waste; and sharps. Items with small amounts of blood become regulated once 100 mL accumulates in one container.
- Generator size: a small-quantity generator produces 50 pounds or less a month; a large-quantity generator more than 50 pounds (30 TAC 326.3). Both may store their own waste on site without a permit or registration, provided it is stored securely and creates no nuisance (30 TAC 326.31(a)).
- Storage: TCEQ guidance (RG-001) sets no day limit for storage at the generator before collection, and refrigeration before collection is optional. Once collected, putrescible or biohazardous waste held more than 72 hours must be kept at 45°F or below (30 TAC 326.43, 326.53).
- Packaging and labeling: bags go inside a rigid, leak-resistant, moisture-impervious container that is sealed and strong enough not to tear or burst, or a package that meets 49 CFR 173.134 and 173.196 (30 TAC 326.17, 326.19, 326.21).
- Transporters: untreated medical waste moves only with a transporter registered by rule with the TCEQ (30 TAC 326.53); the transporter must give the generator a written or electronic statement of weight or volume within 45 days. A small-quantity generator may carry its own waste without registering.
- Records: keep the signed shipping receipt from the transporter and records of every shipment for three years, and obtain the treatment facility's receipt certifying treatment (30 TAC 326.75(e)(7)(D)).
- On-site treatment: a generator treating its own waste notifies the TCEQ (30 TAC 326.39 for small, 326.41 for large generators) and keeps treatment records; large-quantity generators also document microorganism-reduction testing.
Source: TCEQ, Texas Regulations on Medical Waste (RG-001) and the medical waste generator page.
Reviewed September 2026.
General information, not legal advice. Requirements change; we confirm what applies to your facility during onboarding.Texas overviewAll states