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 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mission Pharmacy | 22138 Mission Blvd | Hayward | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-off Box inside for needles/syringes in FDA-approved Sharps Containers up to 1 gallon in size. | |
Mission Wellness Pharmacy (2424 Mission) | 2424 Mission | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
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. | |
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. | |
Native American Health Center (Seven Directions) | 2950 International Blvd | Oakland | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Sharps Kiosk inside for approved sharps containers. | |
Needle Exchange Emergency Distribution (Durant Ave) | 2340 Durant Ave | Berkeley | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Needle Exchange Emergency Distribution (Hearst St) | Hearst Street @ San Pablo Ave | Berkeley | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Needle Exchange Emergency Distribution (Shattuck Ave) | 3124 Shattuck Ave | Berkeley | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
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. | |
New Oakland Pharmacy (333 9th St) |
333 9th St b/t Webster St & Franklin 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. | |
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. | |
North East Medical Services | 1400 Noriega Street | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
North East Medical Services | 2574 San Bruno Avenue | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
North East Medical Services | 1520 Stockon St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
North East Medical Services | 1019 Clement Street | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Orinda Police Department | 22 Orinda Way | Orinda | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Please place needles/sharps in an authorized sharps container before placing them in the collection receptacle. | |
Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy | 925 Cole St | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Piedmont Police Department | 403 Highland Avenue | Piedmont | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-off Box inside for needles/syringes in FDA-approved Sharps Containers up to 1 gallon in size. | |
Pleasanton Transfer Station | 3110 Busch Rd. | Pleasanton | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | HHW drop-off for residents only | |
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. |
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