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HomeHealth and Safety CodeDiv. 104Pt. 14Ch. 6§ 118040 Medical Waste Tracking Requirements

§ 118040 Medical Waste Tracking Requirements

Health and Safety Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 118040 Medical Waste Tracking Requirements

Key Takeaways

  • •If you move medical waste (like used needles or bloody bandages), you must fill out a special paper called a 'tracking document' to keep track of where the waste goes.
  • •The tracking paper must have info like who is moving the waste, how much waste there is, where it came from, and where it’s going.
  • •The person moving the waste must carry this paper with them and show it if a police officer or inspector asks for it.
  • •The tracking paper must be kept for 3 years, and a copy must be given to the place that made the waste and the place that treats it.

Example

A hospital hires a truck to take away used needles and bandages.

The truck driver must fill out a tracking paper with the hospital’s info, how much waste is being moved, and where it’s going. The driver must carry this paper in the truck and show it if the police ask. The hospital gets a copy, and the place that burns the waste gets the original.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 118040 Medical Waste Tracking Requirements

(a)  Except with regard to sharps waste consolidated by a home-generated sharps consolidation point approved pursuant to Section 117904, a hazardous waste transporter transporting medical waste shall maintain a completed tracking document in compliance with subdivision (b) for the purpose of tracking the medical waste from the point when the waste leaves the generator facility until it receives final treatment. At the time that the medical waste is received by a hazardous waste transporter, the transporter shall provide the medical waste generator with a copy of the tracking document. The transporter transporting medical waste shall maintain its copy of the tracking document for three years. (b)  The tracking document shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following information: (1)  The name, address, telephone number, and registration number of the transporter, unless transported pursuant to Section 117946 or 117976. (2)  The type of medical waste transported and the quantity or aggregate weight of medical waste transported. (3)  The name, address, and telephone number of the generator. (4)  The name, address, telephone number, permit number, and the signature of an authorized representative of the permitted facility receiving the medical waste. (5)  The date that the medical waste is collected or removed from the generator’s facility, the date that the medical waste is received by the transfer station, the registered large quantity generator, or point of consolidation, if applicable, and the date that the medical waste is received by the treatment facility. (c)  A hazardous waste transporter transporting medical waste in a vehicle shall have the tracking document in his or her possession while transporting the medical waste. The tracking document shall be shown upon demand to any enforcement agency personnel or officer of the Department of the California Highway Patrol. If the medical waste is transported by rail, vessel, or air, the railroad corporation, vessel operator, or airline shall enter on the shipping papers any information concerning the medical waste that the enforcement agency may require. (d)  A hazardous waste transporter transporting medical waste shall provide the facility receiving the medical waste with the original tracking document. (e)  Each hazardous waste transporter and each medical waste treatment facility shall provide tracking data periodically and in a format as determined by the department. (Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 352, Sec. 7. (SB 225) Effective September 28, 2015.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

documenttreatmentfacilityregistrationenforcementcompliancepossessionmedical

Related Statutes

  • § 117904 Home-Generated Sharps Consolidation
  • § 117960 Large Quantity Generator Medical Waste Plan
  • § 104315 Prostate Cancer Screening Program
  • § 11376.5 Overdose Medical Assistance Immunity
  • § 1798.102 Base Hospital Oversight

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Health and Safety Code. Section 118040.
View Official Source