
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.
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 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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. | |
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. | |
Walgreens (High St) | 3434 High St | Oakland | 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. | |
Concord Police Department | 1350 Galindo St. | Concord | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
CVS Pharmacy (3010 Bernal Ave) | 3010 Bernal Ave | 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. | |
Contra Costa County Sheriff's Field Operations Building | 1980 Muir Road | Martinez | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
CVS Pharmacy (6750 Bernal Ave) | 6750 Bernal Ave | 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. | |
United Pharmacy | 2929 Telegraph Avenue | 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. | |
City of Palo Alto Household Hazardous Waste Station Program | 2501 Embarcadero Way | Palo Alto | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | No controlled substances. Consolidate pills into one container & leave ointments & liquids in original container. Dispose of vitamins in the garbage. | |
CVS (799 Beach St) | 799 Beach 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 Pharmacy (1175 2nd St, Brentwood) | 1175 2nd St | Brentwood | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Kaiser Medical Office Pharmacy (Berkeley) | 2621 Tenth St | Berkeley | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-box in pharmacy. | |
Newark Police Department | 37101 Newark Blvd | Newark | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-box inside lobby. All pills, including controlled substances, should be poured out into Ziploc bags. (Recycle bottles & lids) Place original containers of liquids & creams in their own Ziploc bag. Obscure personal information. | |
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. | |
Walgreens | 1189 Potrero Ave. | 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 (Shattuck Ave) |
2190 Shattuck Ave Northwest corner OF SHATTUCK & ALLSTON |
Berkeley | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-box inside | |
Walgreens | 2690 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. | |
Union City Police Department | 34009 Alvarado Niles Blvd | Union City | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-box inside lobby | |
Contra Costa Regional Medical Center - Sheriff's Substation | 2500 Alhambra Avenue | Martinez | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off |