Hazardous Waste Management Program

This program provides information on the guidelines and procedures for the proper management of hazardous waste at Marquette University (MU). This program also serves to ensure compliance with United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) regulations pertaining to management of hazardous, special, and universal wastes.

Refer to Marquette's Hazardous Waste Management Program pdf document for specific information on:

Medical/infectious waste

Infectious waste is regulated under Chapter NR 526, Medical Waste Management pdf document. A waste is considered to be an infectious waste if it falls in one of the following categories:


  • Contaminated sharps which are both infectious and may easily cause punctures or cuts in the skin, including but not limited to: hypodermic needles, syringes with needles attached, scalpel blades, lancets, broken glass vials, broken rigid plastic vials and laboratory slides. Contaminated means they have come in contact with blood or other potentially infectious material.
  • Unused or disinfected sharps which are being discarded, including hypodermic needles, scalpel blades, lancets and syringes with needles attached.

Note: Only "contaminated" broken glass, plastic vials, laboratory slides, etc. are considered infectious waste. However, all discarded sharps (contaminated or not) such as hypodermic needles, scalpel blades, lancets and syringes with needles attached are considered infectious waste.

Bulk blood and body fluids from humans

"Bulk blood and body fluids" means drippable or pourable quantities or items saturated with blood or other potentially infectious materials. Determine if the blood or other potentially infectious material is drippable, squeezable, pourable or flakeable.

Consult the Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure Control Plan pdf document for safe handling and disposal procedures.

Universal Waste

Universal waste is a category of widely generated hazardous waste that poses a relatively low risk to human health and/or the environment during accumulation, storage, and transport. Examples of universal waste include batteries, pesticides, mercury containing devices, lamps, cathode ray tubes, and antifreeze.

Because of the low risks and widespread use associated with universal waste, the regulations pertaining to universal waste management are much less stringent than those for non-universal hazardous wastes.

Marquette's Universal Waste Management Plan pdf document addresses: handler classification, accumulation sites, accumulation time limits, management requirements, inspections, off-site shipment/transportation, record-keeping and tracking and employee training.

Waste Minimization and Pollution Prevention Program

As a Large Quantity Generator (LQG), MU must certify it has made a good faith effort to minimize waste generation each time a manifest is signed. It is important that all persons and departments generating hazardous waste consider how they can contribute to waste minimization. The goal is to either prevent the formation or production of pollutants at the source or reduce the amount of hazardous waste that is generated.

Marquette's Waste Minimization Program pdf document addresses source reduction, substitution, inventory control, housekeeping and maintenance, process/procedure modification and recycling.


Mission Statement
