Household Hazardous Waste
This item should never be put in a curbside bin. For more information visit our household hazardous waste page.
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.
This item should never be put in a curbside bin. For more information visit our household hazardous waste page.
Prepare your drugs for disposal before arriving at a Medication Takeback 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 mechanism. Kiosks are located near the pharmacy area, or for hospitals and police departments, in the lobby.
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 & the packaging recycled (ex. clean, dry plastic bottle) or put in the garbage (ex. blister packs) as they are not considered medications/hazardous. Silica gel packs can be reused (e.g. edible dry goods) or landfilled.
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.
Per CalRecycle, please do not put unmedicated lotions, cosmetics, fragrances, sunscreen agents, and similar products down the drain or into the toilet; the best "somewhere else" to throw these items is your household trash. Landfills are the best place at present to dispose of personal care products when they are no longer being used.
Vendor | Address | City | Destination | Disposal Method | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy (Oakland 3600 Broadway) |
3600 Broadway 1st Floor |
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. | |
Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy (Oakland 3701 Broadway) |
3701 Broadway 1st Floor |
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. | |
Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy (Oakland-Pediatric Mosswood) |
3505 Broadway Pediatric Mosswood Building, 4th floor |
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. | |
Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy (Pleasanton) |
7601 Stoneridge Dr South 1 Pharmacy |
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 in curbside recycling cart. | |
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. | |
Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy (Union City) |
3553 Whipple Rd Building B, 1st Floor (Main Pharmacy) |
Union City | 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. | |
Martinez Police Department | 525 Henrietta St. | Martinez | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
MED-Project: Bay Area Meds Drop-Box Location Finder | Oakland | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Cross out or remove personal identifying information on the medicated liquid or cream containers and place solid medicines in a sealed plastic bag for drop-box disposal. Recycle rigid plastic pill containers at home. | ||
MedPro Disposal |
1548 Bond St #106 |
Naperville | Safe Disposal | Paid Pick-up | Large quantity | |
Mission Pharmacy | 22138 Mission 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. | |
Mission Police Station | 630 Valencia 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. Wait times may apply, CALL AHEAD! | |
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. | |
Moraga Police Department | 329 Rheem Blvd. | Moraga | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Mowry Medical Pharmacy |
1999 Mowry Ave Suite 2A |
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. | |
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. | |
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. | |
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. | |
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. | |
North East Medical Services | 1400 Noriega Street | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
North East Medical Services | 2574 San Bruno Avenue | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off |
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