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

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 and Inmar location finder for 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
CVS Pharmacy (1175 2nd St, Brentwood) 1175 2nd St Brentwood Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
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.
Capsule Pharmacy 2557 Mowry Ave
Suite 11
Fremont 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.
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.
Wellspring Pharmacy 4184 C Piedmont Ave Piedmont Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Drop-box inside. 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 mechanism.
CVS Pharmacy (3999 Santa Rita Rd) 3999 Santa Rita Rd Pleasanton 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.
Alameda County Sheriff's Office - Eden Township Substation 15001 Foothill Blvd San Leandro 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.
Ingleside Police Station 1 John V. Young Ln. 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!
Post Divisadero Medical Pharmacy 2299 Post St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off This location only accepts non-controlled substances. View the complete list of controlled substances at http://sfenvironment.org/medicinedisposal
Visitacion Valley Pharmacy 100 Leland 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.
Concord Police Department 1350 Galindo St. Concord Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Inmar Intelligence: Safe Medication Disposal Resources Safe Disposal Free Drop-off, Free Mail-in Free Medicine drop-off locator, AND free medicine, inhaler, and auto-injector mail-back services. Enter your zip code to find drop-off kiosks and where to pick up mail-back supplies. Remove meds from original packaging into a plastic bag (drop-off) or mail-back envelope. To get sent mail-in envelopes, from their website, choose Mail Back and complete form. All Mail-Back Packages are pre-addressed with prepaid postage. Please submit a separate request for each Mail-Back Package needed or call 1-888-371-0717 for assistance. Inhalers and injectors must be mailed in separate packages and cannot be combined with other unwanted medicines
CVS (701 Portola Dr) 701 Portola Dr 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.
North East Medical Services 1019 Clement Street 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
UC Berkeley, University Health Services, Tang Center 2222 Bancroft Ave
Room 115
Berkeley Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Drop-box in pharmacy.
Highland Hospital Outpatient Pharmacy 1411 E. 31st St Oakland 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.
New Oakland Pharmacy #2 (388 9th St) 388 9th St Oakland 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.
Don't Rush To Flush - Medication & Sharps Drop-box Location Finder California Product Stewardship Council
1822 21st St; Suite 100
Sacramento Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
CVS Pharmacy (1550 E 14th St) 1550 E 14th St San Leandro 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.

Curbside Service

RE:Source is an online directory for reuse, repair and proper disposal options for the California East Bay area and Palo Alto. Our goal is to connect you with the best options for what you need to get rid of or repair. Please note that we do not accept any items directly.

If you have questions or feedback about this directory, please get in touch, we'd love to hear from you.

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