
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 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Walgreens | 3201 Divisadero 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. | |
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. | |
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! | |
CVS (499 Haight St) | 499 Haight 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 (Mission Bay) | 1600 Owens St., 1st Floor | 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. | |
Walgreens | 498 Castro 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. | |
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! | |
CVS (1059 Hyde St) | 1059 Hyde 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 (French Campus) | 4141 Geary Blvd., 1st Floor | 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. | |
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. | |
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 (581 Market St) | 581 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. | |
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. | |
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. | |
North East Medical Services | 1019 Clement 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 | |
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. | |
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. | |
Community Behavioral Health Services | 1380 Howard Street, Suite 130 | 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. | |
Walgreens | 901 Hyde St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off |