Infectious Waste Management

Stay safe around infectious waste.

We work to keep you and the environment safe from infectious waste. Contact with these materials can cause disease or injury. If you find infectious waste—most likely in the form of needles or syringes—know how to safely dispose of it.

We make sure businesses that work with infectious waste have the proper permits and dispose of it safely. Infectious waste from medical offices and clinics includes:

Sharps (needles with syringes, scalpel blades, glass slides).
Cultures and stocks of infectious agents (blood specimen tubes, culture plates).
Blood, blood saturated gauze or bandages.
Pathological waste.

What do we do?

Develop regulations for safe waste management in Pierce County.
We inspect businesses that produce Infectious Waste (IW).
Our staff works with businesses to keep the public and environment safe.

What must businesses do?

Businesses that generate, transport, or treat infectious waste must get a permit. To get a permit, your business must apply, pay a fee, and pass an inspection. After your inspection, you will receive your permit.

New businesses

Review the Guidelines on IW Disposal in Pierce County.
Complete and submit an IW Application.
Complete and submit an IW Plan, Policy, and Procedures.
Pay the annual permit fee.

After we receive your application and payment, we will schedule an inspection of your business.

Currently permitted businesses

If you have a change of ownership or change locations:

Complete an IW application and submit to IW@tpchd.org.
Review and update Infectious Waste Management Plan and update training, as needed.
Pay the change of ownership/address fee.
- If the annual permit has not been paid for the year, you will need to pay for the annual permit as well.

How do I dispose needles and syringes?

See our brochures in the language you want. Contact us if you need this info in another format.

Learn steps to safely remove discarded sharps.

What are the regulations?

Environmental Health Code, Chapter 6—Local infectious waste regulations.
Environmental Health Code, Chapter 1—General provisions, including appeals process of orders and decisions of the Health Officer.