California passes legislation regulating home-generated medical waste

Earlier today, the California Legislature passed Senate Bill 1305, an amendment to The Medical Waste Management Act that requires the proper disposal of home-generated sharps (including syringes, needles and lancets). According to Genetic Engineering News, the new law, which takes effect Sept. 1, 2008, encourages the use of mail-back programs to ensure that hazardous medical waste is properly handled and does not wind up in regular waste streams where it could endanger waste handlers.