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 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Walgreens | 25 Point Lobos Ave. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Walgreens | 1189 Potrero Ave. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Walgreens | 459 Powell St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Walgreens | 2550 Ocean Ave. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Walgreens | 1201 Taraval St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Walgreens | 1580 Valencia St. | San Francisco | Recycle | Free Drop-off | ||
Walgreens | 4645 Mission St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Walgreens | 2690 Mission St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Visitacion Valley Pharmacy | 100 Leland Ave. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Veolia Environmental Services | 1125 Hensley St | Richmond | Safe Disposal | Mail-in for a Fee | ||
UC Berkeley, University Health Services, Tang Center |
2222 Bancroft Ave Room 115 |
Berkeley | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-box in pharmacy. | |
Tennyson Pharmacy | 589 W Tennyson Rd | Hayward | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-off Box inside for needles/syringes in FDA-approved Sharps Containers up to 1 gallon in size. | |
Ted's Drugs | 27453 Hesperian Blvd | Hayward | 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. 1g max size container. | |
Stericycle (San Jose) | 189 Stauffer Blvd | San Jose | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | Mailback Kits for homes | |
Stericycle (Hayward) | 30542 San Antonio St | Hayward | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | Mailback Kits for homes | |
SMaRT Station | 301 Carl Rd | Sunnyvale | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | This item is hazardous and must be disposed of properly. Place sharps in biohazard or hard plastic container with screw-top lid marked \"sharps\". | |
Shoreway Environmental Center (SEC) | 333 Shoreway Road | San Carlos | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Public Recycling Center. Must be in an authorized Sharps container. | |
Sharps Solutions |
3563 Investment Blvd. Suite 6 |
Hayward | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | Commercial quantity. Prepaid container program. | |
San Ramon Public Safety Complex |
2401 Crow Canyon Blvd (in the Police Department Lobby) |
San Ramon | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Please place needles/sharps in an authorized sharps container before placing them in the collection receptacle (kiosk). | |
Safeway Pharmacy | 2020 Market Street | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off |