Household Hazardous Waste
This item should never be put in a curbside bin. For more information visit our household hazardous waste page.
Needles & Syringes
A needle and syringe is a common delivery system for injectable medicines and other drugs, such as used diabetic test lancets and used or unused needles which are collectively called sharps.
It is illegal for needles and other sharps to be placed into trash or recycling containers. People hand sort at the start of the recycling process; keep them safe by not placing used needles in plastic containers and putting them in your recycling bin.
Sharps, syringes, needles, auto injectors, prefilled syringes with needle, and lancets should be in a sealed FDA cleared Sharps container. Sharps containers are available in most drug stores and from mail order & internet ecommerce sources. Kiosks in pharmacies, Hospitals and Police Departments can accept Sharps containers up to 1 gallon in size. HHW Facilities accept larger sharps containers.
Sharps containers are available in most drug stores and from mail order & internet e-commerce sources.
Free Mail-back containers mailed directly to your home are available by calling 1-844-633-7765 or visiting med-project.org, choose "Mail Back" to fill out an on-line order form. Novo Nordisk also has a free Mail-back container service for their customers: 1-877-438-0564.
Vendors
| Vendor | Address | City | Destination | Disposal Method | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVS Pharmacy (4405 1st St) | 4405 First St | Livermore | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-off Box inside for needles/syringes in FDA-approved Sharps Containers up to 1 gallon in size. | |
| Alameda County Household Hazardous Waste Program (Livermore Facility) | 5584 La Ribera Street | Livermore | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Acceptance of standard size containers as well as larger than 1g sharps containers. | |
| Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy (Livermore) | 3000 Las Positas Rd | Livermore | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-off Box inside for needles/syringes in FDA-approved Sharps Containers up to 1 gallon in size. | |
| MedWaste Management |
5830 W. 3rd St Unit 331 |
Los Angeles | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | ||
| Mt. View Sanitary District (MVSD) | 3800 Arthur Rd. | Martinez | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Please place needles/sharps in an authorized sharps container before placing them in the collection receptacle. | |
| Moraga Fire Station | 1280 Moraga Way | Moraga | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Please place needles/sharps in an authorized sharps container before placing them in the collection receptacle. | |
| MedPro Disposal |
1548 Bond St #106 |
Naperville | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | Commercial quantity | |
| CVS Pharmacy (Newark) | 35080 Newark Blvd | Newark | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Sharps, syringes, needles, auto injectors, prefilled syringes with needle, and lancets should be in a sealed FDA cleared Sharps container. Sharps containers are available in most drug stores and from mail order & internet ecommerce sources. Kiosks in pharmacies, Hospitals and Police Departments can accept Sharps containers up to 1 gallon in size. | |
| Walgreens (High St) | 3434 High St | Oakland | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-off kiosk inside. Syringes and auto-injectors in sharps containers up to 1 gallon in size. | |
| New Oakland Pharmacy #2 (388 9th St) | 388 9th St | Oakland | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-off Box inside for needles/syringes in FDA-approved Sharps Containers up to 1 gallon in size. | |
| Native American Health Center (Seven Directions) | 2950 International Blvd | Oakland | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Sharps Kiosk inside for approved sharps containers. | |
| Alameda County Household Hazardous Waste Program (Oakland Facility) | 2100 East 7th Street | Oakland | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Acceptance of standard size containers as well as larger than 1g sharps containers. | |
| MedWaste California | 73 Beechwood Dr | Oakland | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | ||
| CVS Pharmacy (7200 Bancroft Ave) | 7200 Bancroft Ave | Oakland | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-off Box inside for needles/syringes in FDA-approved Sharps Containers up to 1 gallon in size. | |
| WM Think Green From Home | 172 98th Ave | Oakland | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | Online service. Programs for residents and businesses. | |
| CVS Pharmacy (4100 Redwood Rd) | 4100 Redwood Rd | Oakland | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-off Box inside for needles/syringes in FDA-approved Sharps Containers up to 1 gallon in size. | |
| CVS Pharmacy (344 Thomas L. Berkeley Way) | 344 Thomas L. Berkeley Way | Oakland | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-off Box inside for needles/syringes in FDA-approved Sharps Containers up to 1 gallon in size. | |
| Highland Hospital Outpatient Pharmacy | 1411 E. 31st St | Oakland | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-box inside. Sharps, syringes, needles, auto injectors, prefilled syringes with needle, and lancets should be in a sealed FDA cleared Sharps container. | |
| Casa Segura | East 12th St. & 23rd Ave. | Oakland | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
| New Oakland Pharmacy (Lake Merritt) |
250 E 18th Street 3rd Floor |
Oakland | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Kiosk inside. Sharps, syringes, needles, auto injectors, prefilled syringes with needle, and lancets should be in a sealed FDA cleared Sharps container. 1g max size. |
