The goal of a healthcare plastics recycling program is to recycle clean, non-infectious plastics, including non-medical plastic waste and unused medical plastic waste that is not infectious. Identifying and understanding federal, state, and local laws that are applicable to your plastics recycling program and establishing a program that is compliant is critical. Besides the obvious need to maintain compliance, some regulations and ordinances can actually benefit your program and are worth a closer look.

Here are some basic resources to help you get started in identifying regulations that may apply to your plastics recycling program.

Federal Regulations

US Environmental Protection Agency Information on Medical Waste

State Regulations

The Healthcare Environmental Resource Center

Local Regulations

Check websites for your town, state, or region and research how local ordinances or other regulations can be helpful in supporting your recycling efforts (for example required diversion rates, landfill taxes, etc.)

In-House Experts

Perhaps the most important resources you can consult are your internal experts, who are familiar with both the regulations that apply to your specific facility and how to understand their impact on your program.

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