A local agency may implement a medical waste management program by the adoption of an ordinance or resolution by the local governing body, in accordance with this part.

A local agency that elects to implement a medical waste management program shall notify the department of its intent to do so.

This election shall be made by the local governing body, that shall take effect 90 days after a notice of election is filed with the department.

waste management program shall continue to implement that program until the local governing body terminates the election by resolution or ordinance or the department revokes the authority of the local agency to administer a medical waste management program. The local agency shall file the notice of termination with the department at least 180 days prior to the termination date.

Any local agency that has elected to implement a medical waste management program shall maintain a program that is consistent with Section 117820 and the regulations adopted pursuant to that section. With the approval of the department, the local agency may administer or enforce this part with respect to any person.

A medical waste management program shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 117950) or issued a permit for an onsite medical waste treatment facility pursuant to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 118130).

(commencing with Section 118335).

Each local enforcement agency that elects to implement the medical waste management program may prescribe, by resolution or ordinance, the registration and permit fees necessary to pay its reasonable expenses to administer the program.

attorney, or city prosecutor from bringing any enforcement action for violation of this chapter.

The department shall establish and maintain a database of persons registered as small quantity generators and as large quantity generators for whom the department is the enforcement agency under Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 117925) and Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 117950).

It is the intent of the Legislature that the program carried out pursuant to this part be fully supported from the fees received pursuant to this part.

The department shall implement this part so as to maximize the funds that may be received from the federal government.

Information may be shared between the department and the Environmental Protection Agency.

If the department finds that a local enforcement agency is not consistently fulfilling its responsibilities, the department shall notify the agency of the particular reasons for finding that the agency is not fulfilling its responsibilities and of the department’s intention to withdraw its designation if, within a time to be specified in that notification, but in no event less than 30 days, the agency does not take the corrective action specified by the department.

If the department withdraws its designation of a local enforcement agency, the department shall become the enforcement agency within the jurisdiction of the local enforcement agency.

If the department identifies significant violations of minimum requirements that were not identified and resolved through previous inspections by the local enforcement agency, the department shall do all of the following:

the submission of a plan of correction by the agency within 90 days of receiving the report.

The department shall withdraw a local enforcement agency’s designation pursuant to Section 117860 if it determines that the enforcement agency has failed to submit an adequate plan of correction or has failed to implement the plan.

If the department becomes the enforcement agency, it may charge the fees specified in this part.

for purposes of carrying out this part.

the event.

Registration pursuant to this part shall allow a small quantity generator to generate medical waste at temporary events, including, but not limited to, health fairs, vaccination clinics, and veteran stand downs, without further registration or permitting required. The small quantity generator shall notify the local enforcement agency of their intended participation in a temporary event at least 72 hours before the event, unless the sponsor of the temporary event previously notified the local enforcement agency of the event.

No person shall haul medical waste unless the person is one of the following:

pursuant to either Section 117946 or Section 117976, respectively.

No person shall treat medical waste unless the person is permitted by the enforcement agency as required by this part or unless the treatment is performed by a medical waste generator and is a treatment method approved pursuant to Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 118215).

of consolidating home-generated sharps waste pursuant to this section.

The department is the enforcement agency for offsite treatment facilities.

The accumulated medical waste of more than one medical waste generator shall not be stored in a common storage facility unless that facility is registered with the enforcement agency.

The department shall provide ongoing technical assistance and guidance to local enforcement agencies to assist them in their decisionmaking processes. This assistance shall include, but is not limited to, providing all of the following:

new waste management practices and procedures.