Top 15 Medical Waste Recycling startups

Updated: Jun 18, 2026
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These startups develop new medical waste recycling technologies such as autoclaving for sterilization and recovery, plasma gasification for energy generation, enzymatic treatment for waste breakdown, advanced shredding and sorting systems, chemical disinfection followed by material recovery, etc.
1
Rubicon
Country: USA | Funding: $501.7M
Rubicon provides waste management platform and services for businesses and smart cities. Using computer vision, the platform conducts an initial analysis of a client's waste stream to identify waste types and volumes, then creates a customized waste collection schedule and optimal routes for fleets. Rubicon uses data analysis and AI to improve waste management strategies, providing transparency into waste generation patterns and predicting future trends. The company's services cover the recycling of cardboard, plastic, paper, metal, glass, electronics, construction and demolition waste, organic waste (including food waste and composting services), and separate waste collection. Acquired by Dev.al
2
TerraCycle
Country: USA | Funding: $6.8M
TerraCycle is an innovative recycling company that has become a global leader in recycling hard-to-recycle waste. TerraCycle recycles non-recyclable waste into various consumer products.
3
Stericycle
Country: USA | Funding: $7.1M
Stericycle develops industry-leading biohazardous, medical, sharps, and pharmaceutical waste disposal and compliance training solutions
4
Polycarbin
Country: USA | Funding: $6.2M
Polycarbin intends to reduce the carbon footprint of innovation and the environmental impact of healthcare.
5
EcoMed Services
Country: Canada
EcoMed Services is an innovative medical waste disposal and recycling company that specializes in providing environmental and healthcare integrated waste treatment and disposal solutions through the use of clean sustainable technology that meets strict national and international safety standards and regulations.
6
Recircula Solutions
Country: Spain | Funding: €2.4M
ReCircula Solutions offers waste management solution for the urban cities and pharmaceutical industries. It includes waste container device with IoT sensor, AI for waste identification, mobile app for citizens to earn points. It allows waste managers and city councils to apply the correct reward mechanism in order to increase packaging recycling rates.
7
Okosix
Country: China | Funding: $2.3M
ÖKOSIX is a local environment-tech startup. It is about to launch Hong Kong's first truly and fully biodegradable medical-grade face mask, researched and made in Hong Kong.
8
Sterilis
Country: USA | Funding: $1.3M
Sterilis provides a safer, faster, easier and more environmentally sustainable method for removing highly regulated medical waste (RMW), including used needles
9
PadCare Labs
Country: India | Funding: $1M
PadCare Labs is an innovation driven company solving unmet need of menstrual waste management.
10
Globechain
Country: UK | Funding: £750K
Globechain helps businesses reduce waste by providing a reuse marketplace for listing unneeded items. All items are free for collection by charities, SMEs and individuals.
11
Synergy Waste Management
Country: India
One of the Leading Service Providers for Bio-Medical Waste Management in India.
12
Woosh
Country: Belgium
Woosh provides a delivery and collection service of diapers for nurseries.
13
GreenLabs Recycling
Country: USA
GreenLabs Recycling is focused on diverting lab plastics from the landfill. It's also recycling container lab plastics used in facilities that manage medical waste
14
Boson Energy
Country: Israel
Boson’s Hydrogen-capable Plasma Assisted Gasification technology (HPAG) produces Hydrogen for direct local use from a wide range of non-recyclable solid wastes (including medical and hazardous wastes) by applying high-temperature thermochemical recycling.
15
Cleanaway
Country: Australia
Cleanaway Waste Management provides waste management, recycling, and industrial services in Australia.
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Marjana Bačić
Editor: Marjana Bačić
Marjana Bačić is a senior editor for RecyclingStartups. She has has more than 5 years experience covering the recycling industry. Marjana graduated from University of Belgrade, where she edited Recycling and Sustainable Development Journal. She has helped several non-profit organizations dedicated to promoting environmental education and sustainability. She also participates in beach clean-up initiatives and advocates for sustainable practices in local businesses. In her free time, Marjana enjoys hiking in the scenic Montenegrin countryside, practicing yoga for mindfulness, and experimenting with plant-based recipes in her kitchen. You can contact Marjana at marjanabacic(at)recyclingstartups(dot)com