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 (Shattuck Ave) 2190 Shattuck Ave
Northwest corner OF SHATTUCK & ALLSTON
Berkeley Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Drop-box inside
CVS Pharmacy (2300 Shattuck Ave) 2300 Shattuck Ave Berkeley Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Drop-box inside. All medications, including Controlled Substances. Bring pills in a ziploc bag, with liquids & creams in their own bag. Recycle plastic bottles & lids.
Kaiser Medical Office Pharmacy (Berkeley) 2621 Tenth St Berkeley Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Drop-box in pharmacy.
UC Berkeley, University Health Services, Tang Center 2222 Bancroft Ave
Room 115
Berkeley Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Drop-box in pharmacy.
Walgreens (Adeline St) 2801 Adeline St Berkeley Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Drop-off kiosk inside.
Berkeley Police Department 2100 Martin Luther King Jr Way Berkeley Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Drop-box inside. all medications, including Controlled Substances. Bring pills in a ziploc bag, with liquids & creams in their own bag. Recycle plastic bottles & lids in curbside recycling cart.
Delta HHW Collection Facility 2550 Pittsburg-Antioch Hwy Antioch Safe Disposal Free Drop-off, Drop-off for a Fee No controlled substances. Go to https://www.deltadiablo.org/pharmaceuticals for more information.
Antioch Police Station 300 L Street Antioch Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Walgreens (Alameda) 2300 Otis Dr
Northwest corner of Otis Dr & Park
Alameda Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Drop-box inside.
CVS Pharmacy (Island Dr) 885 Island Drive Alameda Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Drop-box inside
CVS Pharmacy (Marina Village Pkwy) 931 Marina Village Parkway Alameda Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Drop-box inside
CVS Pharmacy (Santa Clara Ave) 2314 Santa Clara Ave Alameda Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Drop-box inside
Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy (Alameda) 2417 Central Ave Alameda Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Drop-box inside. all medications, including Controlled Substances. Bring pills in a ziploc bag, with liquids & creams in their own bag. Recycle plastic bottles & lids in curbside recycling cart.
Alameda Hospital 2070 Clinton Ave
Entrance on Willow St.
Alameda Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Drop-box inside. all medications, including Controlled Substances. Bring pills in a ziploc bag, with liquids & creams in their own bag. Recycle plastic bottles & lids in curbside recycling cart.
MAP International Reuse Free Mail-in Large quantity from manufacturers or suppliers. Pharmaceuticals and over the counter medicines.
Walgreens Medication Disposal Kiosk Locator Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Most U.S. Walgreens (not US territories) have a medication disposal kiosk to collect unwanted prescriptions, including controlled substances and over-the-counter medications year-round at no cost to customers during open hours. All Walgreens pharmacies that do not offer a safe medication disposal kiosk offer a take home safe medication disposal kit available upon patient request at the pharmacy counter.

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