UNSPSC 76121901: Medical waste disposal

UNSPSC 76121901 Medical waste disposal is a Commodity code describing regulated medical and biohazardous waste removal, collection, transportation, and disposal services that state and local governments procure to manage infectious materials, sharps, pharmaceutical waste, and contaminated specimens from healthcare facilities, correctional institutions, laboratories, and emergency services. State and local issuers soliciting under this code span state departments (departments of corrections, health, veterans affairs, transportation), county governments, cities, independent school districts, community colleges, universities, hospital systems, and special-purpose districts; recent activity shows repeat procurement by California state hospitals, county governments across Florida and Colorado, and municipal fire and police departments. Work currently being solicited includes weekly or bi-weekly collection and incineration of biohazardous and sharps waste from detention centers, emergency medical services, and animal care facilities; pharmaceutical and chemotherapy waste disposal; and drum or container-based medical waste management with manifests and certificates of destruction. Representative recent opportunities include Houston City College's RFP 27-03 (due November 20, 2026) for biological waste collection and disposal including sharps containers and biohazard bags with Monday–Friday pickup; the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's IFB SD25-00042 (due September 23, 2026) for statewide medical waste pickup and removal across four geographic regions with seven-day removal cycles; and Hillsborough County's ITB 26-00414 (due October 1, 2026, extended from September 24) for biohazardous waste removal from fire rescue, medical examiner, and public utilities facilities at an estimated project value of $178,807.86 over five years.

Recent procurement activity concentrates in California, Florida, Colorado, Texas, and South Carolina, with scattered additional opportunities in Maryland, Illinois, Oregon, and the District of Columbia. Issuing bodies frequently require bidders to hold state hazardous waste transporter registrations, EPA identification numbers, and valid motor carrier permits; maintain commercial general liability insurance of $1 million to $5 million per occurrence; and provide certificates of disposal, manifests, and training documentation. Contracts typically run one to three years with optional renewal periods, and pricing is commonly structured on a per-pound or per-container basis. Small business set-asides and disabled veteran business enterprise participation goals appear in several California state procurements; mandatory qualifications often include minimum three years of documented experience, proof of relevant state licensure, and background checks for personnel accessing secure facilities. No incumbent vendor dominates across jurisdictions, and response dates cluster around June through November 2026.