Local Enforcement Agency Correspondence

Household Hazardous Waste Grant Funding of Home-Generated Sharps Collection Programs

Date: September 17, 1997

To: All Local Enforcement Agencies

During the decade of the ‘90s we have witnessed an increase in home health care and a rise in the use of injectable medications at home. At the same time, communities have been mandated to reduce the amount of wastes going to landfills which has resulted in increased waste handling and sorting at material recovery facilities and some transfer stations. In an effort to reduce needlestick injuries at these facilities, the Medical Waste Act was amended in 1996. The amendments facilitate the consolidation of home-generated sharps at locations such as pharmacies and household hazardous waste collection points.

Public Resources Code Section 47200 authorizes the Board to provide grant funding to local governments for expansion or initial implementation of their household hazardous waste (HHW) program. Recently LEAs have asked whether the HHW grants are a possible source of funding for home-generated sharps collection programs, and after consultation with the Board’s HHW Grants Program, we are pleased to announce that the Board will now consider funding of home-generated sharps collection programs by HHW grants. As part of a HHW collection program, costs associated with the handling and disposal of sharps generated from households are eligible for funding through this grant program.

All program components (storage, hauling, treatment, and disposal) must meet statutory requirements of the Medical Waste Management Act (See Sections 117904 and 117690). Department of Health Services and Department of Toxic Substances Control must also sanction the program. Special training may be required to handle this waste stream (California Code of Regulations, Title 8, Section 5193).

While we recognize that all LEAs may not have jurisdiction over HHW management, we wanted you to be aware of this issue. In addition to this notice, local government HHW coordinators are being advised of the expanded scope of this program. There is an estimated $1.5 million in HHW grants for fiscal year 1997-98 that will be awarded on a competitive basis. This year’s grant cycle will focus on permanent solutions to HHW problems. We hope your local government or regional authority will take advantage of this opportunity to consider funding or partially funding a sharps collection program with these grant funds.

Sincerely,

Original signed by:

cc:  Ralph Chandler, Executive Director, CIWMB
      Ted Rauh, Deputy Director, DTSC, Hazardous Waste Management Program
      Judith Friedman, CIWMB

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