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 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital | 1001 Potrero Avenue | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
North East Medical Services | 1400 Noriega Street | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy (Livermore) | 3000 Las Positas Rd | Livermore | 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. | |
New Oakland Pharmacy (333 9th St) |
333 9th St b/t Webster St & Franklin St |
Oakland | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Medication drop-off kiosk inside. 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. | |
Sharps Solutions |
3563 Investment Blvd. Suite 6 |
Hayward | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | Commercial quantity. Prepaid container program. | |
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. | |
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. | |
CVS Pharmacy (4100 Redwood Rd) | 4100 Redwood Rd | 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. | |
Mission Wellness Pharmacy (2424 Mission) | 2424 Mission | 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. | |
CVS Pharmacy (4020 Fremont Blvd) | 4020 Fremont Blvd | 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. | |
Stericycle (Hayward) | 30542 San Antonio St | Hayward | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | Pharmaceutical Waste | |
Palo Alto Medical Foundation- Walgreens Pharmacy |
795 El Camino Real Lee Building, Level A |
Palo Alto | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Items accepted from patients only. No controlled substances. Consolidate pills into one container & leave ointments & liquids in original container. Dispose of vitamins in the garbage. | |
Rite Aid Pharmacy (968 Murrieta Blvd) | 968 Murrieta Blvd | Livermore | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy (Hayward) |
27303 Sleepy Hollow Ave South Sleepy Hollow Building, 1st Floor |
Hayward | 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 (Lake Merritt) |
250 E 18th Street 3rd Floor |
Oakland | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Kiosk inside. 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. | |
Alameda County Household Hazardous Waste Program (Fremont Facility) |
41149 Boyce Rd. (At the Fremont Transfer Station - follow the trucks) |
Fremont | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Accept non-controlled substance medications. See https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/schedules/ for controlled substance lists. (To Note: the Oakland, Livermore, & Hayward HHW Facilities DO NOT accept medication.) | |
Walgreens | 901 Hyde St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
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. | |
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. | |
CVS Pharmacy (344 Thomas L. Berkeley Way) | 344 Thomas L. Berkeley Way | 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. |