Biomedical Waste Program

Disposal of biomedical waste is regulated by two agencies in Florida.

Florida Department of Environmental Protection regulates medical waste incinerators and final disposal of treated medical wastes.

Florida Department of Health regulates treatment methods, other than incineration, and commercial facilities that produce, transport, or store biomedical waste under the authority of Chapter 64E-16 of the Florida Administrative Code.

This program is administered by area biomedical waste coordinators located at county health departments. Orange, Seminole, Osceola, and Brevard county health departments have their own coordinator.

• View listing of biomedical waste coordinators throughout the state.

Biomedical Waste: Generators

A generator is any facility or person who produces biomedical waste as described in Chapter 64E-16, F.A.C. 

Permits

All commercial facilities that produce sharps or other biomedical waste are required to obtain an annual permit from the county health department of jurisdiction.

After 12 months of operation, any facility that has produced less than 25 pounds of biomedical waste each month may apply for exemption from the permit fee at the next permit renewal period.

Applications and Forms

• Plan Review Routing Sheet
• Credit Card Verification Form
• Annual permit fees are $170 per year.
• Permit year begins October 1 of each year. 
• Permitted facilities are inspected annually. 
• Biomedical waste handling procedures are reviewed to assure proper identification, segregation, containment, storage, labeling, and disposal of biomedical waste.

All facilities must have a Biomedical Waste Plan and provide documentation of annual training in the biomedical waste rule and your plan. Records of disposal must be kept for three years and be available for review during inspection.

Exempt Facilities

• An exempt generator is not required to pay the $170 annual permit fee, but must comply with all other requirements of Chapter 64E-16, F.A.C. 
• Exempt facilities are inspected once every three years.

Biomedical Waste: Storage Facilities

The Florida Department of Health regulates treatment methods, other than incineration, and commercial facilities that produce, transport, or store biomedical waste under Chapter 64E-16, F.A.C.

Permits

All facilities that transport and/or store or collect biomedical waste, other than what they produce themselves, must obtain an annual storage permit. Permits for onsite storage facilities are issued by the county health department having jurisdiction for the area where storage facility is located.

Applications and Forms

• Annual permit fees are $170.
• Annual permit year begins October 1.
• Storage facilities are inspected annually. 

Exempt Facilities

Transporters, who hold biomedical waste on their truck no more than 72 hours, are exempt from storage permit.

Biomedical Waste: Transporters

The Florida Department of Health regulates transporters of biomedical waste under the authority of Chapter 64E-16, F.A.C.

Permits

Anyone, who transports as much as 25 pounds of biomedical waste at one time over a public roadway, must have a transporter registration from the Florida Department of Health. 

Applications and Forms

• Applications should be sent to the local county health department of jurisdiction.
• Annual permit fees are $170, plus $10 for each transport vehicle over 1.
• Annual permit year begins October 1.
• Transporters must submit an annual report of the waste transported along with their renewal for permit each year.

Transporters are inspected annually and permits are issued by the area biomedical waste coordinators. Transporters must obtain a permit from each county where they have a truck depot. 

• View list of Biomedical Waste Program Transporters.

Biomedical Waste: Treatment

The Florida Department of Health regulates treatment methods, other than incineration, and commercial facilities that produce, transport, or store biomedical waste under the authority of Chapter 64E-16, F.A.C.

Permits

Applications and Forms

• All biomedical waste treatment facilities and processes, except incinerators, must be approved by the Florida Department of Health, in Tallahassee (State Health Office).
• After the treatment process has been approved, an initial inspection is performed and a treatment permit is issued by the county health department having jurisdiction for the location of the treatment facility.
• Upon renewal, a biomedical waste treatment annual report must be submitted.
• Medical waste incinerators are permitted by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.