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The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.

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Biomedical Waste Program

Contact Us

  •  941-624-7200
  •  

    Mailing Location

    1100 Loveland Boulevard 

    Port Charlotte, FL 33980

There are approximately 38,000 facilities in Florida that generate biomedical waste. These include hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, laboratories, funeral homes, dentists, veterinarians, physicians, pharmacies that provide flu shots, body piercing salons, tattoo shops, transporters, and storage and treatment facilities. The objective of the biomedical waste program is to protect health care workers, environmental-service staff, waste haulers, and the general public from risks associated with potentially infectious biomedical waste.

Both the Florida Department of Health (DOH) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) have responsibilities under this program.  The DEP has primary responsibility for biomedical waste incineration and final disposal. The DOH has primary authority and responsibility for facilities that generate, transport, store, or treat biomedical waste through processes other than incineration.

When biomedical waste is improperly managed, it places health care workers, sanitation workers, and the general public at risk for contracting dangerous diseases. Section 381.0098, Florida Statute and Chapter 64E-16, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), provides guidance to facilities that generate biomedical waste to aid them in ensuring proper management of that waste. A model biomedical waste operating plan is available to assist facilities in documenting their procedures for management of biomedical waste. Many facilities have their biomedical waste removed by a registered biomedical waste transporter.

Biomedical waste generated by individuals in their own homes from use of syringes or diagnostic lancets also should be properly managed. Many homeowners can find assistance through a local county needle collection program. Where biomedical waste is produced in a home through injury or other major traumatic conditions, the guidelines for home cleanup of biomedical waste provide guidance for proper cleanup or trauma scene clean up providers can be contacted to manage site decontamination.

Watch the "Management of Biomedical Waste in Florida" video on YouTube, or Vimeo

Complaints concerning biomedical waste are investigated by the Florida Department of Health in Charlotte County (DOH-Charlotte). Small amounts of improperly disposed biomedical waste are cleaned up under DOH supervision. Emergency situations are referred to the DEP, Bureau of Emergency Response at 850-488-2974.

To apply for the permit, complete, and return the Application for Biomedical Waste Generator Permit/Exemption Department of Health form DH4089 to DOH-Charlotte along with the required $145.00 annual fee ($85.00 state fee, plus $60.00 Charlotte County fee).