Guide for Reuse, Repair, Recycling, and Safe Disposal
for Alameda County, Contra Costa County, and the City of Palo Alto

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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.

Household Hazardous Waste

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. 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
Access Pharmacy 2693 Fruitvale Ave 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 container size.
AHF Pharmacy 4071 18th St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Pickup a FREE empty sharps collection container, fill it up, and return to any participating SF pharmacy. Loose needles cannot be accepted.
Alameda County Household Hazardous Waste Program (Fremont Facility) 41149 Boyce Rd.
(At the Fremont Transfer Station - follow the trucks)
Fremont Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Acceptance of standard size FDA approved sharps containers as well as larger than 1g sharps containers.  CGM's (continuous glucose monitors) are accepted from residents using these at home with the sharp (&/or applicator) separated into an approved FDA approved sharps container, and the devices collected in a thick Ziploc bag. At drop-off, resident should inform HHW staff they have these medical devices.
Alameda County Household Hazardous Waste Program (Hayward Facility) 2091 West Winton Avenue Hayward Safe Disposal Free Drop-off  Acceptance of standard size containers as well as larger than 1g sharps containers.  CGM's (continuous glucose monitors) are accepted from residents using these at home with the sharp (&/or applicator) separated into an approved FDA approved sharps container, and the devices collected in a thick Ziploc bag. At drop-off, resident should inform HHW staff they have these medical devices.
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.  CGM's (continuous glucose monitors) are accepted from residents using these at home with the sharp (&/or applicator) separated into an approved FDA approved sharps container, and the devices collected in a thick Ziploc bag. At drop-off, resident should inform HHW staff they have these medical devices.
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.  CGM's (continuous glucose monitors) are accepted from residents using these at home with the sharp (&/or applicator) separated into an approved FDA approved sharps container, and the devices collected in a thick Ziploc bag. At drop-off, resident should inform HHW staff they have these medical devices.
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.
Alamo Sheriff's Substation 150 Alamo Plaza
Suite C
Alamo Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Needles & Syringes must be in approved container and can be placed in the needles drop box.
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.
Berkeley Police Department 2100 Martin Luther King Jr Way Berkeley Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Drop-off Box inside for needles/syringes in FDA-approved Sharps Containers up to 1 gallon in size.
Biologic Environmental Services & Waste Solutions 23490 Connecticut St Hayward Safe Disposal Pick-up for a Fee Call for specific info on this waste. Commercial quantity
CalRecycle's Where to Recycle Location Finder 1001 I St
PO Box 4025
Sacramento Safe Disposal Free Drop-off https://calrecycle.ca.gov/epr/pharmasharps/sharps/
Capsule Pharmacy 2557 Mowry Ave
Suite 11
Fremont Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Drop-off Box inside for needles/syringes in FDA-approved Sharps Containers up to 1 gallon in size.
Casa Segura East 12th St. & 23rd Ave. Oakland Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Casa Segura 100th Ave. & Pearmain St. Oakland Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Casa Segura 2313 San Pablo Ave Oakland Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Central Drug Store 4494 Mission St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
City of Hercules - City Hall Drop-off Kiosk 111 Civic Drive Hercules Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Must be in approved sharps container.
City of Palo Alto Household Hazardous Waste Station Program 2501 Embarcadero Way Palo Alto Safe Disposal Free Drop-off, Drop-off for a Fee For commercial hazardous waste information, call the City's hazardous waste contractor (Clean Harbors) at 800-433-5060.,Must be in a rigid container with a sealed lid.
City of Richmond Drop-off Kiosk - Senior Center 2525 MacDonald Ave Richmond Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Must be in approved sharps container.

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