What Qualifies as Medical Waste?
Medical waste includes, but not limited to, biohazardous, infectious, pathology, pharmaceutical, and sharps wastes generated in a health care setting in the care of humans or animals. Please see section 117690 of the Medical Waste Management Act for a full definition.
What We Do as a part of OC Environmental Health:
This program regulates generators of medical waste. We inspect medical waste facilities, on-site medical waste treatment units, and common storage areas, and investigate complaints regarding a facility’s medical waste handling. Some facilities that may generate medical waste include hospitals; skilled nursing facilities; and doctor, dentist and veterinarian offices.
Who needs to register?
Registration requirements for facilities that generate, store, or treat medical waste are determined by the amount of waste generated and the storage and treatment location of the waste.
Large Quantity Generator (LQG)
If your facility generates 200 pounds or more of medical waste in any one month of a 12-month period, then it is a large quantity generator (LQG). All LQGs are required to register with the Environmental Health Division. If your facility treats medical waste on-site, using steam sterilization or microwave technology, then you must obtain a permit from us.
Small Quantity Generator (SQG)
An SQG is a facility that generates less than 200 pounds of medical waste per month in every month of a 12-month period. If your facility generates less than 200 pounds of medical waste per month and does not treat medical waste on-site, then it is a small quantity generator (SQG). If a medical waste accumulation area is used by several SQGs for the storage of medical waste prior to collection by a registered hauler, then it is considered a common storage area and a permit must be issued by us. SQGs receive compliance inspections from time to time to establish their status as a large or a small quantity generator. The SQG program also provides compliance information via mailers and workshops. On-site consultation/training is available upon request.
Please click here to learn more.
Permits & Fees
Facilities that treat medical waste on-site or store medical waste for more than one generator are required to obtain a permit from the Environmental Health Division in addition to maintaining current registration.
For additional information regarding permits for medical waste facilities, please call Environmental Health Medical Waste Management program at 714-433-6000 to speak to a Specialist.
Current Medical Waste fees can be viewed on our Fees page.
Information
A copy of the Medical Waste Management Act (MWMA), which governs the management of medical waste in all jurisdictions in the State, is available in Adobe Acrobat PDF format on the California Department of Health Services webpage.
Initial Containment of Medical Waste
- Medical waste must be separated from other wastes at the point of origin.
- Biohazardous waste must be placed in red bags conspicuously labeled with "BIOHAZARDOUS WASTE" or the international biohazard symbol with the word "BIOHAZARD." The red bags must be impervious to water and thick enough to pass a 165-gram dart impact test.
- Sharps waste must be contained in rigid, puncture and leak resistant containers. These containers shall be labeled with "SHARPS WASTE" or the international biohazard symbol with the word "BIOHAZARD."
- Grinders, compactors or trash chutes are not to be used for medical waste prior to treatment.
Chemotherapy waste, pathology waste and pharmaceutical waste must be separated from other medical waste. These types of waste must be incinerated at a permitted medical waste incinerator.
Common Storage Facility (CSF)
A CSF is used to store medical waste by more than one SQG or operates as a collection point for medical waste. Common storage facilities are required to register with the Environmental Health Division.
For additional information regarding registration of medical waste facilities, please call Environmental Health Medical Waste Management program at 714-433-6000 to speak to a Specialist.
Medical Waste Storage Containers
Containers and carts used to store closed bags of medical waste must be:
- Leak resistant
- Tightly covered
- Clean and in good repair
- Labeled on all sides with "BIOHAZARDOUS WASTE" or the international biohazard symbol and the word "BIOHAZARD"
Washed and decontaminated after each use.
Information on Transporting Medical Waste
Please click here for our fact sheet.
Final Storage
The final storage area is where containers of medical waste are stored for disposal or treatment. The final storage area is required to be:
- Secured to prevent access to unauthorized persons
- Marked with warning signs easily legible from 25 feet away. The signs must state in English and Spanish and any other appropriate language, "CAUTION-BIOHAZARDOUS WASTE STORAGE AREA-UNAUTHORIZED PERSONS KEEP OUT."
- Protected from animals and natural elements
For specific information regarding the operation of medical waste facilities, please call Environmental Health Medical Waste Management program at 714-433-6000 to speak to a Specialist.
Links
Medical Waste Management Program, California Department of Health Services
Temporary Medical Events
Including Health Fairs, Vaccination Clinics, and Veteran Stand Downs:
A Registered Medical Waste Generator may participate in, and generate medical waste at, a temporary event without further registration or permitting required.
The medical waste generator shall notify this agency at least 72 hours before the event.
Send notification by email to: OMedicalWaste@ochca.com
Include the following information in the email notification or complete the Notification of a Medical Waste Temporary Event Form (fillable):
- Medical waste generator's business name, address, and phone number
- Location of Temporary Event
- Date & Times of Temporary Event
If you have any questions or to provide verbal notification, please call (714) 433-6000 and ask to speak to a medical waste specialist.
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