Global Medical Waste Management Market Size, Share, Opportunities, And Trends By Waste Type (General, Hazardous, And Infectious), By Treatment Site (On-Site, Off-Site), By Service (Treatment, Disposal, Recycling), And By Geography - Forecasts From 2024 To 2029

The global medical waste management market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.87% during the forecast period to reach US$26.755 billion by 2030, up from US$17.209 billion in 2022.

Global Medical Waste Management Market Highlights

• Rising medical waste volume drives demand for advanced management solutions.
• Government initiatives enhance regulations and compliance for medical waste disposal.
• Key players focus on innovative technologies for sustainable waste management.
• Market growth is fueled by increasing healthcare facilities and stricter environmental standards.

Medical waste is generated as a result of medical, surgical, and therapeutic procedures carried out in healthcare institutions. Hospitals, diagnostic institutes, and clinics generate waste that must be properly handled and managed. Medical waste management is defined as the collection, treatment, and disposal of biomedical waste through various services, such as incineration, chemical treatment, and autoclaving.

Medical waste management assures that biomedical waste is collected, contained, processed, and properly disposed of, safeguarding the general public, animals, and the environment. The global medical waste management market is segmented by waste type, treatment site, service, and geography.

The Medical Waste Management market is mainly influenced by strict government regulations aimed at protecting public health and the environment. In North America, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Resource Conservation and Recovery Act sets stringent rules for separating, treating, and disposing of hazardous healthcare waste. In Europe, the Waste Framework Directive promotes circular economy principles, requiring member states to reduce waste and increase recovery. In India, the Biomedical Waste Management Rules and state-level guidelines, like those from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, require healthcare facilities to register with common treatment facilities and carefully separate waste streams. Additionally, significant government-backed projects, such as the CSIR-NIIST "S?janam" automated treatment plant at AIIMS New Delhi, show a national commitment to using eco-friendly, low-emission treatment technologies.

Finally, the growth of healthcare infrastructure and the increase in medical waste volumes are boosting the demand for outsourced waste management services and specialized treatment capacity. The rise of hospitals, diagnostic labs, and vaccination centers, along with an increasing public-private partnerships, has led to greater use of common biomedical waste treatment facilities (CBWTFs) and third-party service providers. According to WHO/UNICEF, in 2021, only 61% of hospitals had basic healthcare waste services. The situation is far worse in fragile contexts, where, based on 2023 data, only 25% of health facilities had basic healthcare waste management services. Of the total amount of waste generated by healthcare activities in 2024, about 85% is general, non-hazardous waste comparable to domestic waste. The remaining 15% is considered hazardous material that may be infectious, chemical, or radioactive.

Governments are promoting this change through grants, subsidies, and training programs that improve compliance and develop local operator skills. As healthcare delivery expands worldwide, especially in emerging markets, the need for scalable, compliant, and sustainable medical waste management solutions will continue to be a strong long-term market driver.

Technological innovation also drives this market’s growth. It is embracing new treatment and recycling options to meet regulatory standards and sustainability goals. Hospitals and third-party waste processors are moving away from traditional incineration to methods like autoclaving, microwave sterilization, and pyrolysis. This shift reduces toxic emissions and allows for energy recovery. Sterilwave, for instance, offers an intuitive, low?maintenance solution equipped with advanced safety features to ensure the secure handling of medical waste. Healthcare institutions worldwide have adopted Sterilwave in recognition of its efficacy in elevating health and safety standards and its contribution to reducing environmental impact.

Automation and robotics are improving waste separation and handling in healthcare facilities, enhancing safety and labor efficiency. Moreover, using circular economy ideas, such as technologies that transform waste into soil amendments, energy, or recycled materials, supports global green goals and draws investment in next-generation biomedical waste treatment systems.

Global Medical Waste Management Market Drivers:

• The increasing volume of biomedical waste is expected to boost the global medical waste management market’s growth during the forecast period.

The majority of medical waste is generated as a result of various disease treatments and tests. Approximately 85% of waste generated by healthcare activities is non-hazardous.  Similarly, around 15% of waste is hazardous, meaning it is toxic and infectious, posing a serious health risk. According to the WHO, over 16 billion injections were administered worldwide in 2018, necessitating proper and adequate processing to dispose of medical waste safely. As a result, the medical waste management market is expected to grow as the demand for safe injection disposal grows to avert health crises.

As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, hospitals are producing more non-hazardous medical waste, such as disposable wipes and empty disinfection containers, propelling the medical waste management industry forward. Furthermore, federal agencies such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have specific disposal standards for COVID-19 medical waste. These guidelines simplify and improve the medical waste management process, resulting in increased acceptance of medical waste management. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, India generated 45,308 tons of biomedical waste between June 2020 and May 2021 as a result of an increase in the number of diagnostic activities and treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Furthermore, government attempts to improve the management of medical waste are propelling the market ahead. The US Environmental Protection Agency, for example, signed a rule in 2019 titled "Management Standards for Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals and Amendment to the P075 listing for Nicotine", which outlines streamlined rules for treating hazardous pharmaceutical waste. Furthermore, increased funding for research activities and the widespread use of biomedical products and technologies are driving market expansion. For instance, to reduce the burden of medical waste generated, the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh announced plans in May 2021 to increase the volume of bio-medical waste incineration from 2.4 metric tonnes (MT) per day to 6.4 MT per day by authorizing a new common bio-medical waste treatment and disposal facility. Similarly, the Chinese government and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) announced a new effort in Nepal in August 2021 to assist seven hospitals in the South Asian country in improving their healthcare waste management systems to better address the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Expanding healthcare infrastructure

The growth of healthcare infrastructure worldwide is a major factor driving the medical waste management market’s expansion. As governments and private healthcare providers invest in building and upgrading hospitals, specialty clinics, and diagnostic laboratories, the amount of regulated medical waste increases. In this regard, as of 2024, the United States had 6,120 hospitals, as stated by the American Hospital Association, which fuels the market growth. This waste includes items like sharps, pathological specimens, pharmaceuticals, and chemical waste. Each new facility and additional treatment bed leads to a rise in waste, creating a steady demand for professional collection, transport, and treatment services.

As per PIB, as of March 31, 2023, India had a total of 1,69,615 Sub-Centres (SCs), 31,882 Primary Health Centres (PHCs), 6,359 Community Health Centres (CHCs), 1,340 Sub-Divisional/District Hospitals (SDHs), 714 District Hospitals (DHs), and 362 Medical Colleges (MCs) serving both rural and urban areas.

At the same time, the growth of outpatient services and decentralized care models, such as ambulatory surgical centers, dialysis clinics, and mobile health units, has increased the generation of medical waste. These smaller facilities typically lack on-site treatment capabilities, so they rely on common biomedical waste treatment facilities and third-party service providers. This situation makes it essential to have strong logistics networks and scalable treatment capacity to ensure timely and compliant waste handling across different care settings.

Public health initiatives and preventive care programs also increase volumes of non-hazardous but regulated waste, such as single-use plastics, personal protective equipment, and diagnostic supplies. The combination of more facilities, diverse points of care delivery, and evolving public health campaigns means that medical waste management remains an important, long-term growth driver. Industry players must keep addressing this through capacity expansion, optimizing networks, and innovating services.

Global Medical Waste Management Market Geographical Analysis

• North America is expected to drive the global medical waste management market growth during the forecast period.

Because of the rising incidence of chronic diseases, the presence of major players has increased environmental consciousness regarding waste management and led to an increase in the amount of medical waste in the region. North America is likely to hold a significant proportion of the medical waste management market. In the United States, many hospitals have started recycling single-use products, which are subsequently sold back to the hospitals at a reduced price.

The healthcare sector is flourishing in the United States, with various investments being implemented to improve the overall infrastructure and support the adoption of new approaches to increase treatment efficiency. However, the ongoing growth in chronic disease prevalence, followed by the improved frequency of therapeutic and surgical procedures, will increase the usage of various equipment and accessories in the country.

According to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, in 2023, total aesthetic surgical procedures in the USA stood at 1,791,102, representing an 8.85% growth over the surgical procedures conducted in 2022. Additionally, the same source also specified that with a total frequency of 6,196,701, the United States had the highest number of procedures done in 2023 globally, and the country also accounts for one of the highest number of plastic surgeons. Such growth in surgical procedures will increase the medical waste generation in the USA.

Likewise, the country is also experiencing a constant growth in plastic consumption in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors, which has escalated the CO2 emissions from such sectors. This is also driving the need for effective medical waste management, according to the International Federation of Medical Students Association, the pharmaceutical sector contributes 8% of the United States’ CO2 emissions annually.

Moreover, the US government is investing in policies and initiatives to bolster waste recycling and treatment, which has established a framework for medical waste management. Strategic maneuvers and launches of programs, such as in medical waste disposal program launched by the Medication Education & Disposal Project (MED-Project) in December 2022, aimed to provide convenient and safe medication disposal to residents in California.

 Furthermore, major companies in the country are assisting the healthcare sector in managing the handling of medical waste following the administration of patient care and treatments. By keeping plastic out of landfills and making a safe, ethical, and sustainable contribution to the circular economy, they are also ensuring that the healthcare sector is moving toward sustainability and climate goals.

Many companies in the region are pursuing various growth methods such as collaborations, agreements, mergers, and acquisitions to strengthen their market presence. For example, Waste Management, Inc., a US-based waste management, comprehensive waste management, and environmental services firm, paid $4.6 billion for Advanced Disposal Services, Inc. in 2019. The acquisition expands Waste Management's presence and allows the firm to provide an unrivaled level of differentiated, sustainable waste management and recycling services to over 3 million new commercial, industrial, and residential customers in 16 states throughout the US.

Global Medical Waste Management Market Products/ Services:

• Pharmaceutical Waste Management and Disposal- Pharmaceutical Waste Management and Disposal services are provided by Stericycle, Inc., which include compliance-based pharmaceutical waste disposal solutions to help you manage waste safely, effectively, and with the least amount of risk.
• Pathological Waste- Mediwaste offers services related to pathological waste, which includes recognizable human-derived tissues, organs, body parts, vertebrate animal-derived tissues, organs, and body parts used in research.
• Biohazardous Waste Disposal Management- BioMedical Waste Solutions, LLC offers complete biohazardous waste disposal management service, including complete office disposal supplies, document destruction certification, red bag biomedical waste removal, OSHA Medical Facility compliance training programs, HIPAA compliance, pharmaceutical waste disposal, expired/recalled drug destruction, and various infectious waste and Sharps bin container disposal service lines.

Global Medical Waste Management Market Key Developments:

• February 2024- Clean Harbors partnered with Gryphon Investors to acquire HEPACO, a leading provider of specialized environmental and emergency response services in the Eastern United States, for $400 million in cash. The acquisition is expected to close in the first half of 2024, subject to regulatory approval and closing conditions.
• August 2022 - The Japanese government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched a two-year $11 million project to help address the surge in infectious healthcare waste caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh, Bhutan, and the Maldives, and targets to improve waste management. The initiative, which aims to support national health agencies and key stakeholders, was officially launched at a ceremony attended by H.E. Ambassador Takeshi Osuga and Kanni Wignaraja.
• May 2022- SUEZ and Veolia signed an agreement to acquire all hazardous waste assets in France, valued at 690 million euros, as part of Veolia's commitment to address European Commission competition concerns, as part of their commitment to address the company's concerns.

 

• May 2022- MediWaste, a Bermuda-based company, took over the collection and disposal of medical waste from the Department of Health and BHB, providing direct access to services for community generators like dentists, doctor offices, labs, clinics, veterinarian practices, tattoo parlors, pharmacies, and barbers. MediWaste specializes in internationally compliant and best practice collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal of biohazardous wastes, using two incinerators specifically designed for medical waste disposal.

Key Market Segments:

• By Waste Type
  • General
  • Hazardous
  • Infectious
• By Treatment Site
  • On-site
  • Off-site
    • Landfills
    • Treat Storage
    • Disposal Facility
• By Service
  • Treatment
  • Disposal
  • Recycling
• By Method
  • Chemical Disinfection
  • Incineration
  • Autoclaving
  • Others
• By Geography
  • North America
    • USA
    • Canada
    • Mexico
  • South America
    • Brazil
    • Argentina
    • Others
  • Europe
    • Germany
    • France
    • United Kingdom
    • Spain
    • Others
  • Middle East and Africa
    • Saudi Arabia
    • Israel
    • Others
  • Asia Pacific
    • China
    • Japan
    • South Korea
    • India
    • Others

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

2. MARKET SNAPSHOT

2.1. Market Overview

2.2. Market Definition

2.3. Scope of the Study

2.4. Market Segmentation

3. BUSINESS LANDSCAPE 

3.1. Market Drivers

3.2. Market Restraints

3.3. Market Opportunities 

3.4. Porter’s Five Forces Analysis

3.5. Industry Value Chain Analysis

3.6. Policies and Regulations 

3.7. Strategic Recommendations 

4. GLOBAL MEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT MARKET BY WASTE TYPE

4.1. Introduction

4.2. General

4.3. Hazardous

4.4. Infectious

5. GLOBAL MEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT MARKET BY TREATMENT SITE

5.1. Introduction

5.2. On-site

5.3. Off-site

5.3.1. Landfills

5.3.2. Treat Storage

5.3.3. Disposal Facility

6. GLOBAL MEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT MARKET BY SERVICE

6.1. Introduction

6.2. Treatment

6.3. Disposal

6.4. Recycling

7. GLOBAL MEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT MARKET BY METHOD

7.1. Introduction

7.2. Chemical Disinfection

7.3. Incineration

7.4. Autoclaving

7.5. Others

8. GLOBAL MEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT MARKET BY GEOGRAPHY

8.1. Introduction

8.2. North America

8.2.1. USA

8.2.2. Canada

8.2.3. Mexico

8.3. South America

8.3.1. Brazil

8.3.2. Argentina

8.3.3. Others

8.4. Europe

8.4.1. United Kingdom

8.4.2. France

8.4.3. Germany

8.4.4. Spain

8.4.5. Italy

8.4.6. Others 

8.5. Middle East and Africa

8.5.1. Saudi Arabia

8.5.2. UAE

8.5.3. Israel

8.5.4. Others

8.6. Asia Pacific

8.6.1. China

8.6.2. Japan

8.6.3. India

8.6.4. South Korea

8.6.5. Taiwan

8.6.6. Thailand

8.6.7. Indonesia

8.6.8. Others 

9. COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT AND ANALYSIS

9.1. Major Players and Strategy Analysis

9.2. Emerging Players and Market Lucrativeness

9.3. Mergers, Acquisitions, Agreements, and Collaborations

9.4. Competitive Dashboard

10. COMPANY PROFILES

10.1. Stericycle, Inc.

10.2. SUEZ SA

10.3. Veolia Environnement S.A.

10.4. Clean Harbors, Inc.

10.5. Waste Management, Inc.

10.6. BioMedical Waste Solutions, LLC

10.7. REMONDIS SE Co. & KG 

10.8. Daniels Health

10.9. BWS Incorporated

10.10. Gamma Waste Services

Stericycle, Inc.

SUEZ SA

Veolia Environnement S.A.

Clean Harbors, Inc.

Waste Management, Inc.

BioMedical Waste Solutions, LLC

REMONDIS SE Co. & KG 

Daniels Health

BWS Incorporated

Gamma Waste Services