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
Emeryville Police Department 2449 Powell St Emeryville 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.
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.
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.
San Leandro Hospital 1401 Washington Ave San Leandro 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.
AHF Pharmacy 4071 18th St. 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.
Washington Hospital 2000 Mowry Avenue
(1st Floor Lobby)
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.
Rite Aid Pharmacy (2819 Hopyard Rd) 2819 Hopyard Rd Pleasanton Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
PInole Police Department 880 Tennent Avenue Pinole Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Veolia Environmental Services 1125 Hensley St Richmond Safe Disposal Mail-in for a Fee Non-DEA pharmaceuticals
CVS Pharmacy (670 El Cerrito Plaza, El Cerrito) 670 El Cerrito Plaza El Cerrito Safe Disposal Free Drop-off ACCEPTED: Medications in any dosage form, except for those listed below, in their original container or sealed bag.* *If transferring medications to a sealed bag, please be sure to recycle all remaining packaging. NOT ACCEPTED: Herbal remedies, vitamins, supplements, cosmetics, other personal care products, compressed cylinders, aerosols, inhalers, medical devices, pet pesticide products, sharps, illicit drugs, mercury-containing thermometers and iodine-containing medications.
CVS Pharmacy (22501 Foothill Blvd) 22501 Foothill Blvd 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.
Dublin Police Services 6361 Clark Ave Dublin 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.
CVS (400 Sutter St) 400 Sutter 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 Pharmacy (San Leandro) 2500 Merced St
Building A, 1st Floor
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 in curbside recycling cart.
Community Programs Building (SF Sheriff's Department) 70 Oak Grove 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.
SF State University, Student Health Services 1600 Holloway 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.
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
Custom Care Pharmacy 4271 First Street Pleasanton Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Pills should be poured out into Ziploc bags (it protects your privacy and lowers disposal costs). Place containers of liquids & creams in their own Ziploc bag. No controlled substances. Drop box inside. www.stopwaste.org/medication
Clayton Police Department 6000 Heritage Trail Clayton Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Antioch Police Station 300 L Street Antioch Safe Disposal Free Drop-off

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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