Medical Waste Disposal in Madison, WI

Clean Waste Medical coordinates compliant medical waste pickup for healthcare facilities in Madison, Wisconsin: regulated medical waste, sharps, pharmaceutical and specialty streams, on a schedule that matches what you generate.

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Medical waste rules in Madison, WI

Wisconsin regulates infectious waste through the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) under Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapter NR 526. The chapter separates safety rules, which apply to everyone, from administrative rules such as licensing, manifests and annual reports, which mostly start at 50 pounds of infectious waste a month.

  • What counts (NR 526.05): sharps (used or unused), bulk human blood and body fluids, human tissue, microbiological laboratory waste and tissue or fluids from animals carrying a zoonotic agent. Items soiled but not saturated with blood, and IV tubing with the needle removed, are presumed not infectious. Trace chemotherapy waste has its own rule (NR 526.055): rigid containers labeled Trace chemotherapy waste and Incinerate only, and incineration as the treatment.
  • Containment (NR 526.06, 526.07): infectious waste is never mixed with other waste in the same bag. Sharps go in rigid, puncture-resistant containers labeled with the biohazard emblem or the words bio-hazard, sharps or infectious waste; other waste in a plastic bag meeting ASTM D1709 (165 grams) and D1922, sealed, inside a rigid container such as a corrugated box, covered reusable container or covered cart labeled with the emblem and the word bio-hazard. Nothing is compacted (NR 526.08).
  • Storage (NR 526.09): a generator storing its own waste on the property where it was generated needs no storage licence but keeps the storage area clean, impermeable, enclosed, limited to authorised staff and free of odour, refrigerating below 42°F when needed. Containers are removed and emptied as necessary and at least every 90 days, and the generator keeps a record of how much went where.
  • Transport (NR 526.10): infectious waste moves only with a transporter holding a DNR infectious waste transportation licence for each vehicle, except that a generator moving less than 50 pounds a calendar month may carry its own. Licensed vehicles carry WDNR and the licence number on the doors, a spill contingency plan and a manifest for every load.
  • Manifests and records (NR 526.14): off-site shipments travel with a Wisconsin infectious waste manifest (DNR form 4400-176) or a US DOT shipping paper; the transporter leaves a copy with the generator at pickup. Generators sending less than 50 pounds a month off the property are exempt from manifesting but still keep records of quantities. Manifests and treatment certifications are kept for at least three years, five for hospitals, clinics and nursing homes.
  • Annual report (NR 526.15): generators required to manifest file an annual infectious waste report (DNR form 4400-177) by March 1 with the filing fee in NR 520.04; medical facilities also keep a medical waste reduction policy and plan under NR 526.16 to 526.22.

Source: Wisconsin DNR, Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapter NR 526, Medical Waste Management.

Reviewed September 2026.

General information, not legal advice. Requirements change; we confirm what applies to your facility during onboarding.Wisconsin overviewAll states

Scheduling options in Madison

  1. Scheduled route pickupWeekly, every other week, monthly or quarterly, set from what your Madison facility actually generates and adjusted as volume changes.
  2. On-call pickupFor low-volume sites that fill a container every few months. You call when a container is ready and we schedule the collection.
  3. Multi-location programsOne point of contact for groups with several Madison area sites, with pickup schedules, billing and documentation organized by location.

Services available in Madison

  1. Regulated medical waste pickupScheduled or on-call pickup of regulated medical waste, also called biohazard or red bag waste, from healthcare facilities: compliant containers, permitted transport and a manifest for every collection.Red bag, cardboard box
  2. Sharps disposalSharps container supply, exchange and disposal for practices of every size, from a single dental office to a hospital network.Red sharps container
  3. Pharmaceutical waste disposalCompliant collection and disposal of expired, unused and partially used non-hazardous pharmaceuticals, with the right stream for each drug.Blue container
  4. Trace chemo waste disposalYellow-container collection for trace chemotherapy waste from oncology, infusion and specialty practices.Yellow container
  5. RCRA hazardous waste disposalBlack-container programs for RCRA-listed and characteristic hazardous pharmaceutical waste, with generator-status guidance and cradle-to-grave documentation.Black container
  6. Pathological waste disposalDedicated, labeled collection for tissues, organs and surgical specimens from surgery centers, labs, dermatology practices and veterinary clinics.Red bag, pathology label

Facilities we serve in Madison

All facility types

Madison service questions

How quickly can service start in Madison?

After we review your facility details, operations confirms a route and start date before anything is promised. Timing depends on your address, waste streams and containers, so we give you an estimate once we have reviewed them.

Which rules apply to medical waste in Madison?

Wisconsin sets the state requirements for segregation, storage time, transporter permits and treatment; OSHA, DOT and EPA rules apply on top. The Wisconsin summary above covers the points that most affect small and mid-size generators, and we confirm what applies to your facility during onboarding.

Do you handle multiple Madison locations under one account?

Yes. Multi-location groups get one point of contact, with pickup schedules, billing and documentation organized by location.

What documentation do we receive?

A manifest or tracking document for every pickup, plus certificates of treatment where applicable, so your compliance file stays complete.

Medical waste pickup in Madison, WI

Tell us your address, waste streams and current pickup schedule. We reply with a clear quote.

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