Household Hazardous Waste
This item should never be put in a curbside bin. For more information visit our household hazardous waste page.
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.
This item should never be put in a curbside bin. For more information visit our household hazardous waste page.
It is illegal for needles and other sharps to be placed into trash or recycling containers. During the recycling process, people hand; keep them safe by NOT placing needles/sharps in your recycling or trash bins. Sharps, syringes, needles, auto injectors, prefilled syringes with a needle, pen needles, and lancets should be placed in a sealed FDA-approved Sharps container. Sharps containers are available in pharmacies and drug stores, as well as online. There are kiosks/drop-boxes in pharmacies, hospitals and police departments can accept Sharps containers up to 1 gallon in size. HHW Facilities may accept larger sharps containers.
California has an extended producer responsibility law in place that requires pharmaceutical companies to pay for convenient, safe disposal of Sharps. Alameda County was the first in the nation to pass a Sharps EPR bill.
Vendor | Address | City | Destination | Disposal Method | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shoreway Environmental Center (SEC) | 333 Shoreway Road | San Carlos | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Public Recycling Center. Must be in an authorized Sharps container. | |
Walgreens | 1979 Mission St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Walgreens | 1100 Van Ness Avenue | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Recology SF Household Hazardous Waste Facility | 501 Tunnel Ave. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Limit of 15 gallons or 125 pounds per day of all household hazardous waste. San Francisco residents only. Address verification required. Open Thursday-Saturday only from 8am-4pm. | |
Walgreens | 825 Market St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Reliable Rexall Sunset Pharmacy | 801 Irving St | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Walgreens | 730 Market St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Walgreens | 33 Drumm St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Walgreens | 199 Parnassus Ave. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Visitacion Valley Pharmacy | 100 Leland Ave. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Golden Gate Pharmacy | 1836 Noriega Street | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Pickup a FREE empty sharps collection container, fill it up, and return to the any participating SF pharmacy. | |
Walgreens | 88 Spear St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Alto Pharmacy | 1400 Tennessee St, Unit 2 | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Pickup a FREE empty sharps collection container, fill it up, and return to the any participating SF pharmacy. Loose needles cannot be accepted. | |
Walgreens | 3398 Mission St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Walgreens | 200 West Portal Ave. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Koshland Pharm Compounding Pharmacy | 301 Folsom Street, Suite B | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Pickup a FREE empty sharps collection container, fill it up, and return to the any participating SF pharmacy. | |
Walgreens | 1189 Potrero Ave. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Safeway Pharmacy | 2020 Market Street | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Walgreens | 965 Geneva Ave. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Walgreens | 3400 Cesar Chavez St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off |