Medical Waste Disposal in California

Clean Waste Medical coordinates compliant regulated medical waste, sharps and pharmaceutical waste pickup for healthcare facilities across California. Scheduled or on-call service, compliant containers and a manifest for every collection.

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Medical waste rules in California

California's Medical Waste Management Act (Health and Safety Code sections 117600 to 118360) is administered by the California Department of Public Health and enforced locally by county environmental health agencies in most counties. The Act separates generators at 200 pounds a month for registration and at 20 pounds a month for storage time.

  • Generator size: a small quantity generator produces less than 200 pounds of medical waste a month (HSC 117690); a large quantity generator 200 pounds or more. Large quantity generators register with the enforcement agency before generating waste and renew annually (HSC 117950, 117970); small quantity generators keep an on-site record of what they generate, how it is treated and who hauls it, and register only when they treat waste on site or where the local enforcement agency requires it (HSC 117925, 117935); the enforcement agency may charge them an annual fee of up to $25 (HSC 117924).
  • Medical waste management plan (HSC 117935, 117960): the types and estimated monthly quantity of waste, any on-site treatment, the registered hazardous waste hauler and off-site treatment facility, an emergency plan and, for pharmaceutical waste, how each category is handled.
  • Storage (HSC 118275 and following): above 0°C, a generator of 20 pounds or more a month may hold medical waste for 7 days, and a generator of less than 20 pounds a month for 30 days, without the enforcement agency's written approval; at or below 0°C, 90 days. A full sharps container is closed and held no more than 30 days (HSC 118285).
  • Containers and signage: biohazard bags and rigid sharps containers labeled with the biohazard symbol, visible from the sides and lid; accumulation areas carry warning signs legible from 25 feet.
  • Hauling and tracking: untreated medical waste leaves the site with a registered hazardous waste hauler and a tracking document; keep treatment records and tracking documents for at least two years for large quantity generators and three years for small quantity generators (HSC 117975, 117943).
  • Pharmaceutical waste: non-RCRA pharmaceutical waste is medical waste under the Act and may be held up to 90 days when ready for disposal (HSC 118280).

Source: California Department of Public Health, Medical Waste Management Act (Health and Safety Code, Division 104, Part 14).

Reviewed September 2026.

This summary is general information, not legal advice. Requirements change; we confirm what applies to your facility during onboarding.Regulations by state

Services in California

  1. Regulated Medical Waste and Biohazard Waste DisposalScheduled or on-call pickup of regulated medical waste, also called biohazard or red bag waste, from healthcare facilities: compliant containers, permitted transport and a manifest for every collection.Red bag, cardboard box
  2. Sharps Waste DisposalSharps container supply, exchange and disposal for practices of every size, from a single dental office to a hospital network.Red sharps container
  3. Pharmaceutical Waste DisposalCompliant collection and disposal of expired, unused and partially used non-hazardous pharmaceuticals, with the right stream for each drug.Blue container
  4. Trace Chemotherapy Waste DisposalYellow-container collection for trace chemotherapy waste from oncology, infusion and specialty practices.Yellow container
  5. RCRA Hazardous Pharmaceutical WasteBlack-container programs for RCRA-listed and characteristic hazardous pharmaceutical waste, with generator-status guidance and cradle-to-grave documentation.Black container
  6. Pathological Waste DisposalDedicated, labeled collection for tissues, organs and surgical specimens from surgery centers, labs, dermatology practices and veterinary clinics.Red bag, pathology label

Facilities we serve in California

All facility types

California service questions

Do you serve every part of California?

We coordinate service through a network of qualified providers, and coverage in California is confirmed address by address. Tell us your address and operations confirms whether a route is available before anything is promised.

Which rules apply to medical waste in California?

Medical waste is regulated at the state level, alongside the federal OSHA, DOT and EPA rules that apply everywhere. The summary above covers the California requirements that most affect small and mid-size generators. See our regulations guide for the federal picture and links to every state.

What waste streams can you pick up in California?

Regulated (biohazardous) medical waste, sharps, pharmaceutical waste, trace chemotherapy waste, RCRA hazardous pharmaceutical waste and pathological waste, subject to verification of each stream at onboarding.

We are under contract. Can we still talk?

Of course. Most facilities are. Share your renewal date and we will follow up before it, so you can compare options without being rushed.

Medical waste pickup in California

Send us your facility list and current schedule. We reply with a clear quote and a start date operations has confirmed.

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