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 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WM Think Green From Home | 172 98th Ave | Oakland | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | Online service. Programs for residents and businesses. | |
West County Wastewater | 2910 Hilltop Drive | Richmond | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Must bein an approved sharps container. | |
West County HHW Collection Facility | 101 Pittsburg Ave. | Richmond | Recycle | Free Drop-off, Drop-off for a Fee | Accepted in approved sharps collection containers. | |
Wellspring Pharmacy | 4184 C Piedmont Ave | Piedmont | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-off Box inside for needles/syringes in FDA-approved Sharps Containers up to 1 gallon in size. | |
Waste Management, Inc. - MedWaste Tracker™ Sharps Return-Mail System |
1001 Fannin Suite 4000 |
Houston | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | Seal syringes and lancets in the provided protective sharps container. Small amounts and commercial volumes | |
Waste Management, Inc. - Medical Waste Collection Services |
1001 Fannin Suite 4000 |
Houston | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | ||
Walnut Creek Fire Station | 1050 Walnut Avenue | Walnut Creek | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Please place needles/sharps in an authorized sharps container before placing them in the collection receptacle. | |
Walnut Creek City Hall | 1666 North Main Street | Walnut Creek | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Please place needles/sharps in an authorized sharps container before placing them in the collection receptacle. | |
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. | |
Walgreens (Castro Valley Blvd) | 3382 Castro Valley Blvd | Castro Valley | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-off kiosk inside. Syringes and auto-injectors in sharps containers up to 1 gallon in size. | |
Walgreens (Adeline St) | 2801 Adeline St | Berkeley | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-off kiosk inside. Syringes and auto-injectors in sharps containers up to 1 gallon in size. | |
Walgreens | 2120 Polk St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Walgreens | 790 Van Ness Ave. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Walgreens | 3801 3rd St. Suite 550 | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Walgreens | 1301 Franklin St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Walgreens | 1301 Market St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Walgreens | 2141 Chestnut St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Walgreens | 825 Market St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Walgreens | 4129 18th St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Walgreens | 1333 Castro St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off |
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