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 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
North East Medical Services 1520 Stockon 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.
Northern Police Station 1125 Fillmore 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!
Orinda Police Department 22 Orinda Way Orinda Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
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.
Palo Alto Police Department 275 Forest Avenue Palo Alto Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Accepts medications and controlled substances.
Park Police Station 1899 Waller 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!
Piedmont Police Department 403 Highland Avenue Piedmont 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.
PInole Police Department 880 Tennent Avenue Pinole Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Pleasant Hill Police Department 330 Civic Dr. Pleasant Hill Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Pleasanton Police Department 4833 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.
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
RAMP (Recycled AIDS Medication Donation) San Francisco Community Health Center
730 Polk St, 4th floor
San Francisco Reuse Free Drop-off, Free Mail-in AIDS Medication. We accept both opened and sealed bottles.​ Mark-out the patient name, address, and doctor information. Do not remove the medication name, strength, or expiration. We do not accept narcotics, sleeping medications, or tranquilizers.
RAMP (Recycled AIDS Medicine Program) Drop-off Location (Food for Thought) Food for Thought/Sonoma County AIDS Food Bank
6550 Railroad Ave
Forestville Reuse Free Drop-off AIDS Medication. We accept both opened and sealed bottles.​ Mark-out the patient name, address, and doctor information. Do not remove the medication name, strength, or expiration. We do not accept narcotics, sleeping medications, or tranquilizers.
RAMP (Recycled AIDS Medicine Program) Drop-off Location (Mail Access) 2261 Market St
(between Noe St & Sanchez St)
San Francisco Reuse Free Drop-off AIDS Medications. We accept both opened and sealed bottles.​ Mark-out the patient name, address, and doctor information. Do not remove the medication name, strength, or expiration. We do not accept narcotics, sleeping medications, or tranquilizers.
RAMP (Recycled AIDS Medicine Program) Drop-off Location (SF LGBT Center) SF LGBT Center
1800 Market St
San Francisco Reuse Free Drop-off AIDS Medications. We accept both opened and sealed bottles.​ Mark-out the patient name, address, and doctor information. Do not remove the medication name, strength, or expiration. We do not accept narcotics, sleeping medications, or tranquilizers.
RAMP (Recycled AIDS Medicine Program) Drop-off Location (Spahr Center) Spahr Center
150 Nellen Ave
Corte Madera Reuse Free Drop-off AIDS Medications. We accept both opened and sealed bottles.​ Mark-out the patient name, address, and doctor information. Do not remove the medication name, strength, or expiration. We do not accept narcotics, sleeping medications, or tranquilizers.
RAMP (Recycled AIDS Medicine Program) Mail-In 2261 Market St., #328
(Mailing address for medication donations)
San Francisco Reuse Free Drop-off AIDS Medication. We accept both opened and sealed bottles.​ Mark-out the patient name, address, and doctor information. Do not remove the medication name, strength, or expiration. We do not accept narcotics, sleeping medications, or tranquilizers.
Reliable Rexall Sunset Pharmacy 801 Irving 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.
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.
Richmond Police Department 1701 Regatta Blvd. Richmond 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.

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