Guide for Reuse, Repair, Recycling, and Safe Disposal
for Alameda County, Contra Costa County, and the City of Palo Alto

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Medications

Medications include over-the-counter and doctor-prescribed medicine taken orally or applied topically, like creams, lotions or shampoos, for people or pets. Does not include vitamins or dietary supplements.

Search the MED-Project location finder for more safe disposal options for unwanted and expired medication.

Household Hazardous Waste

This item should never be put in a curbside bin. For more information visit our household hazardous waste page.

Pre-filled syringes and auto-injectors with an integral or attached needle is considered a "sharp."

Old vitamins and supplements may be composted along with the cotton filler. Packaging can be recycled (ex. clean, dry plastic bottle) or put in the garbage (ex. blister packs). Silica gel packs can be reused (e.g. edible dry goods) or landfilled.

Unmedicated lotions, cosmetics, fragrances, sunscreen agents, and similar products belong in your household trash. Do not put these products down the drain or into the toilet.

Prepare your medicines for disposal before arriving at a kiosk site. Accepted items include all prescription drugs in any dosage form (e.g. pills, liquids, creams, aerosols). Protect your privacy by removing or obscuring any labels showing your personal information on drug containers or vials. You can pour all your pills into a Zip-lock bag no larger than 1 gallon in size, and recycle the vials and other containers in your home recycling. Liquids and creams should remain in their original containers and tightly closed to prevent leakage. Aerosols should have their protective caps affixed to prevent accidental discharge. Remove inhaler vials from the inhaler housing. Kiosks are located near the pharmacy area, or for hospitals and police departments, in the lobby.

At the kiosk: Take care at the kiosk not to introduce too many materials into the kiosk drop-chute at one time. Check the kiosk chute after closing to ensure the drugs dropped into the kiosk. Federal law prevents anyone from reviewing or examining the drugs you wish to dispose, so place them in the kiosk yourself – do not accept any unsolicited assistance to do so.

If there are problems with the information or services provided by MedProject.org, please contact safedrugdisposal@acgov.org.

Vendors

Vendor Address City Destination Disposal Method Notes
Walgreens 275 Sacramento St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Only available during pharmacy hours. Mix all pills into a plastic bag. Remove any personal info and recycle empty pill bottles.
Alto Pharmacy 1400 Tennessee St, Unit 2 San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Mix all pills into a plastic bag. Remove any personal info and recycle empty pill bottles. Keep liquid medicine in original container.
RAMP (Recycled AIDS Medicine Program) Drop-off Location (SF LGBT Center) SF LGBT Center
1800 Market St
San Francisco Reuse Free Drop-off AIDS Medications. We accept both opened and sealed bottles.​ Mark-out the patient name, address, and doctor information. Do not remove the medication name, strength, or expiration. We do not accept narcotics, sleeping medications, or tranquilizers.
CVS (1059 Hyde St) 1059 Hyde St San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Only available during pharmacy hours. Mix all pills into a plastic bag. Remove any personal info and recycle empty pill bottles.
Walgreens 3201 Divisadero St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Only available during pharmacy hours. Mix all pills into a plastic bag. Remove any personal info and recycle empty pill bottles.
Kaiser Permanente (Geary 1st Floor) 2238 Geary Blvd., 1st Floor San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Mix all pills into a plastic bag. Remove any personal info and recycle empty pill bottles. Keep liquid medicine in original container.
Walgreens 901 Hyde St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Walgreens 45 Castro St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
CVS (581 Market St) 581 Market St San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Only available during pharmacy hours. Mix all pills into a plastic bag. Remove any personal info and recycle empty pill bottles.
Walgreens 498 Castro St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Only available during pharmacy hours. Mix all pills into a plastic bag. Remove any personal info and recycle empty pill bottles.
Kaiser Permanente (Mission Bay) 1600 Owens St., 1st Floor San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Mix all pills into a plastic bag. Remove any personal info and recycle empty pill bottles. Keep liquid medicine in original container.
Walgreens 3838 California St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
CVS (731 Market St) 731 Market St San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Only available during pharmacy hours. Mix all pills into a plastic bag. Remove any personal info and recycle empty pill bottles.
Walgreens 500 Parnassus Ave., Level J San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Only available during pharmacy hours. Mix all pills into a plastic bag. Remove any personal info and recycle empty pill bottles.
Kaiser Permanente (French Campus) 4141 Geary Blvd., 1st Floor San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Mix all pills into a plastic bag. Remove any personal info and recycle empty pill bottles. Keep liquid medicine in original container.
CarePlus CVS Pharmacy 445 Castro St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Only available during pharmacy hours. Mix all pills into a plastic bag. Remove any personal info and recycle empty pill bottles.
CVS (1101 Market St) 1101 Market St San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Only available during pharmacy hours. Mix all pills into a plastic bag. Remove any personal info and recycle empty pill bottles.
Bayview Police Station 201 Williams Ave. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Mix all pills into a plastic bag. Remove any personal info and recycle empty pill bottles. Keep liquid medicine in original container. Wait times may apply, CALL AHEAD!
CVS (995 Market St) 995 Market St San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Only available during pharmacy hours. Mix all pills into a plastic bag. Remove any personal info and recycle empty pill bottles.
CVS (601 Mission St) 601 Mission St San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Only available during pharmacy hours. Mix all pills into a plastic bag. Remove any personal info and recycle empty pill bottles.

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