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HomeHealth and Safety CodeDiv. 101Pt. 3Ch. 2Art. 2§ 101080 Hazardous Waste Health Emergency

§ 101080 Hazardous Waste Health Emergency

Health and Safety Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 101080 Hazardous Waste Health Emergency

This law lets the state health director or a local health officer call a health emergency when hazardous or medical waste spills threaten public health, and it limits a local emergency to 7 days unless a city council or board of supervisors approves it and reviews it every 30 days.

Key Takeaways

  • •The director can declare a health emergency for hazardous or medical waste releases that are an immediate threat.
  • •A local health officer can declare a local health emergency, but it can only last 7 days unless the city council or board of supervisors extends it.
  • •The council or board must review the emergency at least every 30 days and end it as soon as conditions allow.

Example

A truck carrying medical waste crashes and leaks chemicals onto a highway, and the local health officer thinks the spill could spread disease or poison people.

The health officer can declare a local health emergency for up to 7 days to control the spill, and the city council must review the situation after 30 days and end the emergency as soon as it is safe.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 101080 Hazardous Waste Health Emergency

Whenever a release, spill, escape, or entry of waste occurs as described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 101075 and the director or the local health officer reasonably determines that the waste is a hazardous waste or medical waste, or that it may become a hazardous waste or medical waste because of a combination or reaction with other substances or materials, and the director or local health officer reasonably determines that the release or escape is an immediate threat to the public health, or whenever there is an imminent and proximate threat of the introduction of any contagious, infectious, or communicable disease, chemical agent, noncommunicable biologic agent, toxin, or radioactive agent, the director may declare a health emergency and the local health officer may declare a local health emergency in the jurisdiction or any area thereof affected by the threat to the public health. Whenever a local health emergency is declared by a local health officer pursuant to this section, the local health emergency shall not remain in effect for a period in excess of seven days unless it has been ratified by the board of supervisors, or city council, whichever is applicable to the jurisdiction. The board of supervisors, or city council, if applicable, shall review, at least every 30 days until the local health emergency is terminated, the need for continuing the local health emergency and shall proclaim the termination of the local health emergency at the earliest possible date that conditions warrant the termination. (Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 990, Sec. 4. (AB 2238) Effective January 1, 2019.)

Last verified: January 11, 2026

Key Terms

hazardous wastemedical wastehealth emergencylocal health officerboard of

Related Statutes

  • § 101075 Hazardous Waste Definition
  • § 101080.2 Emergency Isolation Orders
  • § 101085 Emergency Waste Information Disclosure
  • § 117700 Medical Waste Exclusions
  • § 100250 Department Laboratory Requirements

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Health and Safety Code. Section 101080.
View Official Source