Medical Waste Storage Requirements in California

Medical Waste Storage Requirements in California

‍

Medical waste storage requirements in California are outlined in the Medical Waste Management Act (MWMA) under the California Department of Public Health.

This page will serve as a simplified guide to medical waste storage compliance in California.

‍

Storage Requirements in California

‍

All medical waste should be properly segregated and contained at the point of generation to ensure it is properly disposed of.

No matter what type of medical waste, it should be properly secured and stored in a designated storage area and labeled clearly with danger signs as outlined in the MWMA.

‍

Designated Accumulation Area:

‍A place to accumulate your medical waste containers before transportation for disposal. Must be secured to deny unauthorized personnel and display warnings in both English and Spanish in accordance with the MWMA.

‍

Biohazardous waste:

‍At the point of generation, biohazard waste should be placed into a red bag (not to exceed 3 pounds or one gallon), tied to prevent any potential leaking, and placed into a biohazard container.

This container should be rigid, leak resistant, have tight-fitting covers, be labeled clearly as “BIOHAZARD” on both the lids and sides, and comply with all DOT regulations.

‍

Pathological waste:

‍Pathological waste follows the same procedures as biohazardous waste, but should be segregated from other biohazard wastes and placed inside of a biohazard container labeled as “PATH” or “Pathology Waste” on the lids and sides.

‍

Sharps waste:

‍Should be placed in a rigid puncture-resistant approved sharps container, (not to exceed 3/4ths way full) sealed, and properly labeled as “sharps waste” or “BIOHAZARD.”

‍

Non-Hazardous pharmaceutical waste:

‍Should be placed in a container labeled “INCINERATION ONLY.”

‍

Trace chemotherapy waste:

‍Should be placed in a chemotherapy waste container which is clearly labeled as “Chemotherapy waste” or “Chemo waste.”

‍

How Long Can I Store Medical Waste in California?

‍

The amount of time you can store (or accumulate) medical waste in California varies based on waste stream, the amount of waste you generate, and temperature the waste is stored at.

‍

Disposal Timeline for Biohazard Waste

‍

All biohazard waste generators in California must follow the guidelines below:

‍

‍

It is important to note that if smell becomes an issue, you may be required to dispose of biohazardous waste more regularly.

The above are the requirements for biohazard waste and pathological waste. This means that at a minimum biohazard waste should be disposed of within 30 days, and oftentimes it must be disposed of on a weekly basis.

‍

Disposal Timeline for Pharmaceutical Waste in California

‍

Pharmaceutical waste can be stored at an onsite location for up to 90 days once the container is full, or at least once per year.

‍

Disposal Timeline for Sharps Waste in California

‍

Sharps containers ready for disposal in California must be disposed of within 30 days.

This means that once the sharps container is 3/4ths full, it should be properly sealed and disposed of within 30 days.

‍

Disclaimer:

Note that this is a simplified guide and is by no means conclusive of California regulations for storage of regulated medical waste.

If you want accurate and conclusive information on California medical waste disposal requirements, refer to the California Medical Waste Management Act or contact a California medical waste disposal company.

‍