Medical Waste Disposal in Florida
MedPro Disposal provides biomedical waste, sharps and pharmaceutical waste pickup and disposal for healthcare facilities everywhere in Florida — from the Panhandle to the Keys — on a schedule that keeps you inside the state’s 30-day storage limit.
How is medical waste disposal regulated in Florida?
Florida calls regulated medical waste “biomedical waste” and regulates it under section 381.0098, Florida Statutes, and Chapter 64E-16 of the Florida Administrative Code, enforced by the Florida Department of Health through the county health departments. Generators need a DOH biomedical waste permit, or an exemption if they produce less than 25 pounds in every 30-day period, and every facility must have a written operating plan and train staff before they handle the waste and every year after. Biomedical waste may be stored at the generating facility for no more than 30 days, and it may only be handed to a transporter registered with the Department of Health. Biomedical waste records must be kept for three years.
- State term
- Biomedical waste
- Rules
- F.A.C. Chapter 64E-16
- Enforced by
- Florida DOH
- Onsite storage
- 30 days max
Key takeaways
- Florida regulates medical waste as “biomedical waste” under section 381.0098, Florida Statutes, and Chapter 64E-16, F.A.C., enforced by the Department of Health and the county health departments.
- Florida biomedical waste generators need an annual DOH permit; those producing less than 25 pounds in every 30-day period can apply for an exemption from the permit and fee.
- Florida limits storage of biomedical waste at the generating facility to 30 days, starting when the first non-sharps item goes into a red bag or sharps container, or when a sharps-only container is sealed.
- Florida generators may not arrange transport of biomedical waste with anyone who isn’t registered with the Department of Health as a biomedical waste transporter.
- Florida requires biomedical waste management records to be kept for three years and available to the Department of Health.
Florida Biomedical Waste Rules
Medical waste is regulated mainly by each state, with a few federal rules on top. In Florida it’s called biomedical waste and is governed by section 381.0098, Florida Statutes, and the Department of Health’s rules in Chapter 64E-16, Florida Administrative Code. The state preempts local regulation of generators, so the same rules apply in every county. Here’s what they require of a practice, clinic or other healthcare facility.
What Florida regulates
Biomedical Waste
Any solid or liquid waste which may present a threat of infection to humans, including nonliquid tissue, body parts, blood, blood products and body fluids from humans and other primates; laboratory and veterinary wastes which contain human disease-causing agents; and discarded sharps. It also includes used absorbent materials saturated with blood, body fluids, or excretions or secretions contaminated with visible blood, and non-absorbent disposable devices contaminated with blood or body fluids that haven’t been treated by an approved method. Feces, nasal discharges, saliva, sputum, sweat, tears, urine and vomitus aren’t biomedical waste unless visibly contaminated with blood. Specimens for laboratory testing or research become biomedical waste only once discarded.
- Nonliquid human tissue and body parts
- Blood, blood products and body fluids
- Laboratory and veterinary waste containing human disease-causing agents
- Discarded sharps
- Absorbent materials saturated with blood or body fluids
- Contaminated non-absorbent disposable devices
Who regulates medical waste in Florida
Florida Department of Health — Biomedical Waste Program
Regulates the packaging, transport, storage and treatment of biomedical waste: permits generators, storage and treatment facilities, registers transporters and sets treatment standards. The county health departments take applications, inspect facilities and investigate complaints.
County health departments
Each county health department’s environmental health section is where you apply for a generator permit or exemption and pay fees, and it inspects permitted generators yearly and exempt generators at least once every three years.
Florida Department of Environmental Protection — Division of Waste Management
Regulates onsite and offsite incineration and final disposal of biomedical waste, and the environmental impacts of treatment and disposal, such as air emissions and water discharges.
Federal OSHA — Florida Area Offices
Florida has no OSHA State Plan, so federal OSHA enforces the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard for private employers, through area offices in Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa (the western Panhandle is covered from Mobile, Alabama).
Key Florida requirements
| Topic | Requirement | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Permit or exemption | Anyone who generates, stores or treats biomedical waste needs a Department of Health permit before operating. Generator permits expire September 30 each year and aren’t transferable. A generator producing less than 25 pounds in every 30-day period is exempt from the permit and fee; DOH asks for 12 months of weight records to grant the exemption. Apply on form DH 4089 through your county health department. | §381.0098(4), F.S.; Rule 64E-16.011(1), F.A.C. |
| Operating plan and training | Every facility must implement a written operating plan covering staff training; segregating, labeling, packaging, transporting, storing and treating biomedical waste; spill decontamination; and an emergency contingency plan. Staff who handle the waste must be trained before those duties begin and complete refresher training every year. | Rule 64E-16.003(2), F.A.C. |
| Packaging | Non-sharps biomedical waste is sealed at the point of origin in impermeable red plastic bags meeting set impact and tear-resistance standards. Sharps go at the point of origin into rigid, leak- and puncture-resistant sharps containers, sealed when full. Outer containers must be rigid, leak-resistant and puncture-resistant, and packages stay sealed until treatment. | Rules 64E-16.002(24), 64E-16.004(2), F.A.C. |
| Labeling | Every package shows the biohazard symbol and one of “BIOMEDICAL WASTE”, “BIOHAZARDOUS WASTE”, “BIOHAZARD”, “INFECTIOUS WASTE” or “INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCE”. Bags and sharps containers carry the generator’s name and address (or transporter-supplied generator-specific labels), and outer containers carry the transporter’s name, address, registration number and 24-hour phone. | Rules 64E-16.004(2)(b), 64E-16.005, F.A.C. |
| Storage | Storage at the generating facility may not exceed 30 days, starting when the first non-sharps item goes into a red bag or sharps container, or when a sharps-only container is sealed. This applies to permitted and exempt generators alike. Indoor storage areas must be restricted, away from foot traffic, vermin-free and easy to clean; outdoor areas must also be marked with the biohazard symbol and secured. | Rule 64E-16.004(1), F.A.C. |
| Transport | Generators may not negotiate transport with anyone who isn’t a registered biomedical waste transporter. Registered transporters must give the generator a receipt of pick-up, may not compact the waste, and may deliver it only to a DOH-permitted storage or treatment facility. Generators carrying less than 25 pounds of their own waste in their own vehicle are exempt from registration. | §381.0098(5), (6), F.S.; Rules 64E-16.006(1), 64E-16.008, 64E-16.009, F.A.C. |
| Treatment | Biomedical waste must be treated by steam, incineration or a DOH-approved alternative process before disposal, within 30 days of collection from the generator. Waste stored away from the generating facility is also limited to 30 days from collection. Incineration must be in a DEP-permitted incinerator. | Rules 64E-16.004(1)(b), 64E-16.007(1), (3), F.A.C. |
| Records | All biomedical waste management records must be kept for three years and be available for review by the Department of Health. Training records are kept as part of the operating plan. | Rule 64E-16.003(2)(a)–(b), F.A.C. |
- §381.0098, F.S.
Biomedical waste
Splits authority between DOH and DEP, defines biomedical waste, requires generator permits (with the under-25-pound exemption) and transporter registration, and calls for a tracking system from generator to treatment.
- Chapter 64E-16, F.A.C.
Biomedical Waste
Definitions, operating plans and training, storage and containment, labeling, generator requirements, treatment, transport, transporter registration, inspections, permits and fees.
Federal rules that also apply
| Topic | Requirement | Source |
|---|---|---|
| OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens | Sharps containers must be closable, puncture-resistant, leakproof on the sides and bottom, labeled or color-coded, and kept upright and within easy reach. Other regulated-waste containers must be closable, leak-proof and labeled with the biohazard symbol (or red). Florida has no OSHA State Plan, so federal OSHA covers private employers; state and local government workplaces aren’t covered by federal OSHA. | 29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(4)(iii), (g)(1) |
| DOT shipping | Regulated medical waste ships as Division 6.2, UN3291, in rigid packaging that meets UN Packing Group II standards, with puncture-resistant containers for sharps. “INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCE” is one of the package markings Florida’s rule accepts. | 49 CFR 173.134, 173.197 |
Reviewed September 2026. This is a plain-language summary to help you plan, not legal advice — rules change, so confirm details with the agencies above. MedPro handles transport, treatment and manifests for you and can help you understand what applies to your facility.
Florida biomedical waste compliance checklist
Use this to check your facility against Florida’s Chapter 64E-16 biomedical waste rules and the federal OSHA standard. MedPro handles the pickup, transport and treatment — the rest happens in your facility.
Get Compliant Pickup- 1
You have a current DOH permit or exemption
Filed on form DH 4089 with your county health department. Permits expire September 30 each year; the exemption is for generators under 25 pounds in every 30-day period.
- 2
You have a written operating plan
Training, segregation, labeling, packaging, transport, storage and treatment procedures, spill decontamination, and an emergency contingency plan — updated when rules or procedures change.
- 3
Staff are trained before they start and every year
Anyone who handles biomedical waste is trained before those duties and gets an annual refresher, documented as part of the operating plan.
- 4
Waste goes in red bags or sharps containers at the point of origin
Impermeable red bags meeting the rule’s strength standards, and rigid, leak- and puncture-resistant sharps containers sealed when full.
- 5
Every package is marked and labeled
The biohazard symbol and an approved phrase such as “BIOMEDICAL WASTE”, plus your facility’s name and address on bags and sharps containers.
- 6
Nothing is stored past 30 days
The clock starts when the first non-sharps item goes into a bag or container, or when a sharps-only container is sealed. Storage areas are restricted, sanitary and easy to clean.
- 7
Your hauler is registered with DOH
Florida generators may only arrange transport with a registered biomedical waste transporter. Keep the pickup receipt each time.
- 8
Records are kept for three years
Biomedical waste management records, including pickup receipts and training records, available for your county health department’s inspection.
Florida Medical Waste Savings
Projected annual savings from quotes we’ve prepared for Florida practices. Every practice is different — we charge only for the services you need.
See What You Could Save| Practice Type | ZIP Code | Annual SavingsProjected Annual Savings |
|---|---|---|
| Family Practice | 33432 | $2,484 |
| Veterinary | 33428 | $7,200 |
| Podiatry | 33431 | $600 |
| Orthopedics | 33428 | $1,337 |
| Dermatology | 34209 | $3,608 |
| Orthodontics | 34243 | $720 |
It’s Easy to Get Started With MedPro Disposal
- 01
Contact Us
Contact MedPro Disposal for a fast, free medical waste removal quote. We’ll get to know you, discuss your needs, and settle on a number.
- 02
Waste Pickup Date
Work with MedPro Disposal to determine your first pickup date. We’ll confirm your office hours and provide convenient options for medical waste and sharps pickup.
- 03
Compliance Survey
After we get to know your requirements, we’ll send you a survey to identify any areas that need to be brought up to OSHA standards. All three steps occur at no additional cost to your practice.
We service all of Florida
MedPro Disposal provides regulated medical waste pickup and disposal to healthcare facilities in every part of Florida — wherever your practice is. Local service pages include:
- Cape Coral
- Fort Lauderdale
- Hialeah
- Hollywood
- Jacksonville
- Miami
- Naples
- Orlando
- Sarasota
- St. Petersburg
- Tallahassee
- Tampa
Near the state line? We serve the neighboring states too.
Florida Medical Waste FAQs
What counts as biomedical waste in Florida?
Florida defines biomedical waste as any solid or liquid waste that may present a threat of infection to humans: nonliquid human tissue and body parts, blood, blood products and body fluids, lab and veterinary waste containing human disease-causing agents, discarded sharps, absorbent materials saturated with blood or body fluids, and contaminated disposable devices (§381.0098(2), F.S.; Rule 64E-16.002, F.A.C.). Urine, saliva, sweat and similar fluids aren’t biomedical waste unless visibly contaminated with blood.
Who regulates biomedical waste in Florida?
The Florida Department of Health regulates the packaging, transport, storage and treatment of biomedical waste, and its county health departments handle permits, inspections and complaints. The Department of Environmental Protection regulates incineration and final disposal. Federal OSHA enforces the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard for private employers, and U.S. DOT rules govern shipping.
How long can a medical office store biomedical waste in Florida?
No more than 30 days. The clock starts when the first non-sharps item is placed in a red bag or sharps container, or when a sharps container holding only sharps is sealed (Rule 64E-16.004(1)(a), F.A.C.). The limit applies to every generating facility — the small-generator exemption covers only the permit and fee, not the pickup frequency. MedPro sets your pickup schedule so you stay inside the 30 days.
Does my practice need a biomedical waste permit in Florida?
Yes, unless you qualify for an exemption. Generators need an annual Department of Health permit, applied for on form DH 4089 through the county health department; permits expire September 30 each year. A generator that produces less than 25 pounds of biomedical waste in every 30-day period is exempt from the permit and fee, with 12 months of weight records to show it (§381.0098(4), F.S.; Rule 64E-16.011, F.A.C.). Exempt facilities still follow the rest of Chapter 64E-16.
Does my biomedical waste hauler need to be registered in Florida?
Yes. Anyone who transports biomedical waste in Florida must register with the Department of Health, and a generator may not arrange transport with an unregistered transporter (§381.0098(5), F.S.; Rules 64E-16.006(1), 64E-16.009, F.A.C.). DOH publishes a list of registered transporters. The transporter must give you a receipt of pick-up and take the waste only to a permitted storage or treatment facility.
How long do I need to keep biomedical waste records in Florida?
Three years. Florida requires all biomedical waste management records to be kept for three years and available for review by the Department of Health (Rule 64E-16.003(2)(b), F.A.C.). Keep your operating plan, training records and the pickup receipt from each collection.
What about sharps used at home in Florida?
Home users should package their sharps to reduce the chance of public exposure, and many county health departments run sharps collection sites. Healthcare providers must tell home-care clients, verbally and in writing, how to handle biomedical waste generated at home, and providers delivering in-home services must remove, or have a registered transporter remove, the biomedical waste they generate there (Rule 64E-16.001(4)–(5), F.A.C.).
Where in Florida does MedPro Disposal provide service?
Everywhere in Florida — we service facilities statewide, from the Panhandle to the Keys. We also have local service pages for Cape Coral, Fort Lauderdale, Hialeah, Hollywood, Jacksonville, Miami, Naples, Orlando, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, Tallahassee and Tampa.
Our services in Florida
Industries we serve
Sources
- Biomedical waste, §381.0098, Florida Statutes (2026) — The Florida Senate
- Chapter 64E-16, F.A.C. — Biomedical Waste — Florida Department of State, Florida Administrative Code
- Chapter 64E-16, F.A.C. (Department of Health copy) — Florida Department of Health
- Biomedical Waste Regulation — Florida Department of Health
- Biomedical waste county health department contacts — Florida Department of Health
- Registered biomedical waste transporter list — Florida Department of Health
- Residential sharps disposal — Florida Department of Health
- Division of Waste Management — Florida Department of Environmental Protection
- Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030 — U.S. OSHA
- State Plans (Florida is under federal OSHA) — U.S. OSHA
- Florida OSHA Area Offices — U.S. OSHA
- Infectious substances, 49 CFR 173.134 — eCFR
- Regulated medical waste, 49 CFR 173.197 — eCFR
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