California Sharps Disposal Bill (SB 486)
SB 486 passed in 2009, requires sharps manufacturers to create and publish a plan that describes "how the manufacturer supports the safe collection and proper disposal" of medical sharps. It became illegal in 2008 to knowingly dispose of sharps in the trash, due to the passage of SB 1305. Visit CalRecycle and the California Product Stewardship Council for more information. View notes, presentations and video of CalPSC’s January 2012 workshop, Managing Sharps Using a Product Stewardship Model.
The Northwest Product Stewardship Council includes the states of Washington and Oregon. In an effort to harmonize legislation and programs along the west coast, we also track activities in California and British Columbia, Canada.
For Product Stewardship Legislation in other states visit:
State Chemicals Policy Database
Product Stewardship Institute