Circular No. 42/2025/TT-BNNMT Issuing National Technical Regulations on Thermal Disinfection of Infectious Medical Waste

CIRCULAR

Issuing National Technical Regulations on
Thermal Disinfection of Infectious Medical Waste

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Pursuant to the Law on Standards and Technical Regulations dated June 29, 2006 and the Law Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of the Law on Standards and Technical Regulations dated June 14, 2025;

Pursuant to the Law on Environmental Protection dated November 17, 2020;

Pursuant to Decree No. 08/2022/NĐ-CP dated January 10, 2022 of the Government detailing certain provisions of the Environmental Protection Law and Decree No. 05/2025/NĐ-CP dated January 6, 2025 of the Government amending and supplementing certain provisions of Decree No. 08/2022/NĐ-CP dated January 10, 2022 of the Government detailing certain provisions of the Environmental Protection Law;

Pursuant to Decree No. 127/2007/NĐ-CP dated August 1, 2007 of the Government detailing implementation of certain provisions of the Standardization and Technical Regulation Law and Decree No. 78/2018/NĐ-CP dated May 16, 2018 of the Government amending and supplementing certain provisions of Decree No. 127/2007/NĐ-CP dated August 1, 2007 of the Government detailing implementation of certain provisions of the Standardization and Technical Regulation Law;

Pursuant to Decree No. 35/2025/NĐ-CP dated February 25, 2025 of the Government on the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development;

At the proposal of the Director of the Environment Department, the Head of the Science and Technology Department;

The Minister of Agriculture and Environment issues this Circular on issuing National Technical Regulations on thermal disinfection of infectious medical waste.

Article 1. Attached to this Circular are the National Technical Regulations on thermal disinfection of infectious medical waste (QCVN 55:2025/BNNMT).

Article 2. Effective Date

1. This Circular shall take effect from January 19, 2026.

2. QCVN 55:2013/BTNMT - National Technical Regulations on medical waste sterilization equipment issued together with Circular No. 57/2013/TT-BTNMT dated December 31, 2013 of the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment on national technical regulations on the environment shall cease to be effective from the date this Circular takes effect, except for cases provided for in Article 3 of this Circular.

Article 3. Transitional Provisions

Existing facilities that have commenced operation, and investment projects currently under implementation (including projects that have received approval decisions on environmental impact assessment reports or have been accepted by competent authorities for full and valid applications requesting environmental impact assessment report review, issuance of environmental permits, or environmental registration before the date this Circular takes effect) may continue to apply QCVN 55:2013/BTNMT - National Technical Regulations on medical waste sterilization equipment until December 31, 2028.

Article 4. Implementation timeline

1. From the date this Circular takes effect, new investment projects (including new investment projects, expanded scale investment projects, increased capacity investment projects submitting applications for environmental impact assessment report review, issuance of environmental permits, or environmental registration after the date this Circular takes effect) must comply with the provisions of QCVN 55:2025/BNNMT.

2. As of January 1, 2029, the cases stipulated in Article 3 of this Circular must meet the requirements set forth in QCVN 55:2025/BNNMT.

State-owned enterprises that have been assigned by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to conduct offshore wind power project surveys before the effective date of this Circular shall continue to implement according to the assigned documents; any new matters arising after the effective date of this Circular shall be implemented in accordance with the provisions of this Circular.

1. Ministries, agencies equivalent to ministries, People's Committees at all levels, Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development of provinces and centrally governed cities, and related organizations and individuals are responsible for implementing this Circular.

2. During the implementation of this Circular, if any difficulties arise, relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals must promptly report in writing to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for consideration and resolution./.