Medical Waste Regulations in Colorado (2026)
Generator registration, storage limits, approved treatment, transport rules, and penalties under Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division, with the primary statute behind every line.
Colorado medical waste rules at a glance
| Governing agency | Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division |
|---|---|
| Primary statute / rule |
|
| Generator registration | Most medical waste generators do not have to register or notify the state. A generator that treats medical waste on site must send a one-time on-site treatment notification to the Department before starting treatment operations, and household medical waste generators are exempt from Section 13 entirely. [source] |
| On-site storage time limit | Putrescible medical waste may be stored on site up to 30 calendar days without refrigeration if packaged to U.S. DOT infectious-substance requirements, or up to 90 calendar days if refrigerated to 45 degrees Fahrenheit or less or frozen. Non-putrescible medical waste such as sharps containers may be stored on site up to 90 calendar days when secured against unauthorized access (6 CCR 1007-2 Section 13.3.1). [source] |
| Approved treatment methods |
|
| Transport / manifest rules | Medical waste may only be transported to an approved commercial medical waste storage, treatment, or disposal facility, must be packaged consistent with U.S. DOT infectious-substance requirements (49 CFR 173.196 or 173.197), and must move under a tracking system whose records (waste tracking logs, shipping papers, and manifests) are retained for a minimum of three years. [source] |
| On-site treatment allowed? | Yes. On-site treatment of waste generated by the same business is allowed without a Certificate of Designation if the generator meets the Section 13.3.1(B) exemption: complying with the storage limits, meeting the treatment standards, and submitting a one-time on-site treatment notification to the Department before starting. Anyone not exempt under Section 13.3.1 must obtain a Certificate of Designation to operate a medical waste treatment facility. [source] |
| Penalty range | Under C.R.S. 30-20-113(5)(a) (Solid Wastes Disposal Sites and Facilities Act), violators are subject to an administrative or civil penalty of not more than $10,000 for each day of violation, recoverable in district court, plus departmental compliance orders and injunctive relief. [source] |
What is unique about Colorado
Colorado folds infectious waste into Section 13 (Medical Waste) of its solid waste rules (6 CCR 1007-2 Part 1) rather than a standalone medical waste code, and it sets a measurable treatment performance standard: treatment must achieve at least a 4 Log10 reduction in Bacillus stearothermophilus, Bacillus subtilis, or Bacillus atrophaeus endospores and at least a 6 Log10 reduction in Mycobacterium phlei or Mycobacterium bovis, with encapsulation, solidification, or compaction alone deemed inadequate (6 CCR 1007-2 Section 13.6.1).
Frequently asked questions
Who regulates medical and infectious waste in Colorado?
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, through its Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division, regulates medical and infectious waste under Section 13 of 6 CCR 1007-2 Part 1, the Regulations Pertaining to Solid Waste Sites and Facilities.
How long can a Colorado generator store medical waste on site?
Putrescible medical waste may be held up to 30 days unrefrigerated, or up to 90 days if refrigerated to 45 degrees Fahrenheit or less or frozen, all packaged to U.S. DOT infectious-substance standards. Non-putrescible waste such as sharps containers may be held up to 90 days when secured (6 CCR 1007-2 Section 13.3.1).
Does a Colorado medical waste generator have to register with the state?
No general registration is required. A generator must send a one-time on-site treatment notification to the Department only if it treats medical waste on site, and household medical waste generators are fully exempt from Section 13.
Can a Colorado generator treat medical waste on site?
Yes. On-site treatment of the business's own waste is allowed without a Certificate of Designation when the generator meets the Section 13.3.1(B) exemption, which requires meeting the storage limits and the Section 13.6 treatment standards and filing a one-time notification before starting. Operators that do not qualify must obtain a Certificate of Designation.
Is household medical waste regulated in Colorado?
No. Household medical waste generators are exempt from Section 13 of 6 CCR 1007-2 Part 1, so a resident's own home-generated sharps and medical waste fall outside the state medical waste rules. The Section 13 storage limits, treatment standards, transport rules, and notification requirements apply to businesses and other non-household generators, not to households.
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