Medical waste rules in Anaheim, CA
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.
General information, not legal advice. Requirements change; we confirm what applies to your facility during onboarding.California overviewAll states