Medical waste - Mississippi

The EPA has not had regulatory authority over medical waste since the Medical Waste Tracking Act of 1988 expired in 1991. Most states have since developed their own programs, resulting in significant differences for each state. A summary of this state’s requirements includes the following.

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality regulates the proper transportation, management, and disposal of infectious medical waste is regulated under the general provisions of the Mississippi Solid Waste Law and the nonhazardous solid waste management regulations (11 MAC 4-1), including:

• Chapter 11-2-1 Infectious/medical waste incinerator requirements, and
• Chapter 11-4-1 Nonhazardous solid waste management regulations.

The Mississippi State Department of Health regulates on-site storage and management of medical and infectious waste through Adopted Standards for the Regulation of Medical Waste in Health Care Facilities Licensed by the Mississippi State Department of Health.

It also regulates infectious waste for licensed health facilities (15 MAC). The regulations cover:

• Part 15-12 Emergency medical services requirements,
• Part 15-16 Health facility requirements, and
• Part 15-19 Professional licensure sharps disposal requirements.

Related information

• Medical waste RegSense

Citations

• Federal regulation 40 CFR Part 261
• Federal regulation 40 CFR Part 262
• Federal regulation 29 CFR 1910.1030
• Federal Regulation 49 CFR Subchapter C
• Mississippi Administrative Code Chapter 11-2-1
• Mississippi Administrative Code Chapter 11-4-1
• Mississippi Administrative Code Parts 15-12, 15-16, and 15-19