Section 117605 Of Chapter 1. General Provisions From California Health And Safety Code >> Division 104. >> Part 14. >> Chapter 1.
117605
. (a) This part governs medical waste management at the
facility where waste is generated, at transfer stations, and at
treatment facilities. This part also governs the tracking of medical
waste beyond what is required in federal shipping documents and
regulates aspects of the transport of regulated medical waste.
(b) Sections 173.196 and 173.197 of Title 49 of the Code of
Federal Regulations impose standards for the transportation of
medical waste on public roads and highways while in transport, unless
an affected person applies to, and receives a determination of any
perceived conflict from, the United States Secretary of
Transportation. Domestic Mail Manual 601.10.17.5 (Mailability:
Hazardous Materials: Sharps and Other Mailable Regulated Medical
Waste) imposes standards for the transportation of medical waste
through the mail and approves medical waste mail back systems.
(c) The department shall submit to the Legislature by no later
than January 1, 2016, a report describing the interaction of federal
and state law for the transport of regulated medical waste. The
department shall convene a stakeholder group that includes, but is
not limited to, small and large quantity generators, haulers,
transfer station operators, treatment facility operators, local
enforcement agencies, retailers, and other affected entities for this
purpose. The reporting requirement imposed by this subdivision shall
expire as of January 1, 2016, or when the report is submitted to the
Legislature. The report submitted pursuant to this section shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
(d) The department may, in its discretion, update standards
related to the transportation of medical waste during transit through
a guidance document provided to regulated entities and posted on the
department's Internet Web site. This guidance document shall be
exempt from the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing
with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the
Government Code) to the extent that the department finds that the
updated standards are consistent with the standards of the United
States Department of Transportation.
(e) If an affected person, including the department, seeks a
preemption determination pursuant to Section 5125 of Title 49 of the
United States Code or by a court of competent jurisdiction, the
department may, in its discretion, temporarily waive the state
transportation requirements under this part until that determination
is made and shall provide notice of the waiver on its Internet Web
site.
(f) During the period of temporary waiver described in subdivision
(e), or if preemption is found, the federal requirements shall be
deemed to be the law of this state and enforceable by the department.
The department may enforce these federal requirements by providing
an updated guidance document to interested parties and posting the
updated guidance document on the department's Internet Web site.
(g) The Medical Waste Management Act does not preempt any local
ordinance regulating infectious waste, as that term was defined by
Section 25117.5 as it read on December 31, 1990, if the ordinance was
in effect on January 1, 1990, and regulated both large and small
quantity generators. Any ordinance may be amended in a manner that is
consistent with this part.