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 for more 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
Ted's Drugs 27453 Hesperian Blvd Hayward Safe Disposal Free Drop-off 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.
Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital 1001 Potrero Avenue San Francisco 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.
CVS Pharmacy (3320 Fruitvale Ave) 3320 Fruitval Ave 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.
CVS Pharmacy (46445 Mission Blvd) 46445 Mission 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.
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.
Taraval Police Station 2345 24th 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. Wait times may apply, CALL AHEAD!
Walgreens 500 Parnassus Ave., Level J 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.
Martinez Police Department 525 Henrietta St. Martinez Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Stericycle (San Jose) 189 Stauffer Blvd San Jose Safe Disposal Pick-up for a Fee Pharmaceutical Waste
CVS Pharmacy (Telegraph Ave) 2655 Telegraph 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.
Richmond Fire Department Station #63 5201 Valley View Rd. El Sobrante Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Medications (No controlled substances allowed). Put loose pills and bottled liquids in a sealed plastic bag. Black out any personal information.
CSU East Bay Pharmacy Student Services and Administration
28500 Carlos Bee Blvd
Hayward Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Drop-off Kiosk. 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.
North East Medical Services 1400 Noriega Street San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
MED-Project: Bay Area Meds Drop-Box Location Finder 1800 M St, NW Washington Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Online location finder. 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.
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.
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.
Tenderloin Police Station 301 Eddy 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!
Walgreens 5280 Geary Blvd. 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.

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