
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 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CVS Pharmacy (4020 Fremont Blvd) | 4020 Fremont 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. | |
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. | |
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. | |
Berkeley Police Department | 2100 Martin Luther King Jr Way | 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 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. | |
Alto Pharmacy | 1400 Tennessee St, Unit 2 | 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. | |
Alameda County Sheriff's Office - Eden Township Substation | 15001 Foothill Blvd | 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. | |
Central Police Station | 766 Vallejo 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 Pharmacy (Newark) | 35080 Newark Blvd | Newark | 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. | |
Walgreens | 1189 Potrero Ave. | 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. | |
Contra Costa County Sheriff's Field Operations Building | 1980 Muir Road | Martinez | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
CVS Pharmacy (2964 Broadway) | 2964 Broadway | 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 (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. | |
Alameda Hospital |
2070 Clinton Ave Entrance on Willow St. |
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. | |
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 (Geary 1st Floor) | 2238 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. | |
Palo Alto Police Department | 275 Forest Avenue | Palo Alto | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Accepts medications and controlled substances. | |
Ingleside Police Station | 1 John V. Young Ln. | 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! | |
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. | |
Walgreens | 2690 Mission 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. |