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Medical Waste Producer Registration

Medical Waste Producer Registration

The Materials Management Division within the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) registers facilities that generate, store, decontaminate, or incinerate medical waste.

NAME OF PERMIT OR APPROVAL: Medical Waste Producing Facility Registration

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Part 138, Medical Waste, Public Health Code, Public Act 368 of 1978, as amended

APPLICABLE REGULATION: Part 138, Section 13813 and the Part 138 Rules R 325.1541 - R 325.1549.

SUMMARY OF PERMIT/APPROVAL PROCESS:

Applicability (activities that require the permit): Registration required for any facility that generates, stores, decontaminates, or incinerates medical waste on a regular basis as part of their daily activity. This would include transporters who store medical waste before delivering to a destination facility. The five categories of medical waste that are regulated under this program are:

  • Cultures and stocks of infectious agents and associated biologicals, including laboratory waste, biological production wastes, discarded live and attenuated vaccines, culture dishes, and related devices.
  • Liquid human and animal waste, including blood and blood products and body fluids, but not including urine or materials stained with blood or body fluids.
  • Pathological waste.
  • Sharps.
  • Contaminated wastes from animals that have been exposed to agents infectious to humans, these being primarily research animals.

Facilities such as factories, small businesses, hotels, and athletic clubs that provide sharps containers for collection of needles generated by employees or patrons due to treatment of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, are not typically regulated under this program. However, OSHA standards may apply.

Pre-Application Requirements: Not applicable. 

Application Submission Requirements: Each applicant must register on a form prescribed by the department providing facility name, address, phone number, county name, and a contact name and title. The facility must also designate the type of facility (e.g., private practice, office, or hospital) as noted on the form.

Procedures and Time-Frame for Obtaining Registration: The initial registration application (EQP 1700-2) and the renewal application (EQP 1700) are submitted to EGLE with the appropriate fee online at Michigan.gov/EgleMedWaste. Select the "Registration and Fee Payment Portal" link. The application is reviewed by EGLE staff for completeness and accuracy and, if acceptable, a certificate of registration is issued. Processing time is 14 – 28 days. Once a facility is registered, a renewal application will be mailed by the MDEQ to the facility approximately one month prior to the expiration date of their current certificate.

Operational Requirements: Registered facilities must prepare and maintain on file a written medical waste management plan that contains information required in Section 13817 of the Medical Waste Regulatory Act (MWRA) within 90 days of registering. All medical waste must be stored, decontaminated, and/or incinerated in accordance with the regulations established by Act 138.

Fees: Registration fees are as follows:

  • $50: Private practice office with fewer than four licensees who are physicians, dentists, podiatrists, certified nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, or veterinarians employed by, under contract to, or working at the producing facility
  • $80: Private practice office with four or more licensees
  • $75: All health facilities, agencies, hospitals with less than 150 licensed beds, or any other producing facility that is not a health facility or agency
  • $150: Hospitals with 150 licensed beds or more or a clinical laboratory

Appeal Process: Administrative appeal pursuant to the Administrative Procedures Act, as amended.

Public Input Opportunities: This program registers facilities that generate, store, decontaminate, or incinerate medical waste. Complaints or comments related to a facility may be filed with EGLE at any time. More complex facilities (e.g. medical waste treatment facilities) would also be required to obtain air emission permits from EGLE's Air Quality Division, which have formal public input processes.

ADMINISTERING AGENCY: Materials Management Division, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, 525 West Allegan Street, PO Box 30241, Lansing, MI 48909-7741.

Revision Date:
July 2019