A 1997 document on budgetary Policies and Standards issued by Costa Rica's government-operated Soocialized Health Care System (CCSS) requires the State Health Clinics to comply with the stipulations included in the Enviroment Organic Law. Because the CCSS has focused its interest on achieving appropiate waste management, this study was conducted in order to find out the clinical laboratories perception and kowledge of the problem, types of waste, personnel training, and their employees hygiene and on-the-job safety.