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
Walgreens 1580 Valencia St. San Francisco Recycle Free Drop-off
West County HHW Collection Facility 101 Pittsburg Ave. Richmond Recycle Free Drop-off, Drop-off for a Fee Accepted in approved sharps collection containers.
Walgreens 5300 3rd St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Walgreens 3001 Taraval St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
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.
Haller's Pharmacy & Medical Supply (37323 Fremont Blvd) 37323 Fremont Boulevard Fremont Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Drop-off Box inside for needles/syringes in FDA-approved Sharps Containers up to 1 gallon in size.
Reliable Rexall Sunset Pharmacy 801 Irving St San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Walgreens 790 Van Ness Ave. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Don't Rush To Flush - Medication & Sharps Drop-box Location Finder California Product Stewardship Council
1822 21st St; Suite 100
Sacramento Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
CVS Pharmacy (22501 Foothill Blvd) 22501 Foothill 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.
Walgreens 1344 Stockton St. 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.
Walgreens 670 4th St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Walgreens 3201 Divisadero St. 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.
Casa Segura East 12th St. & 23rd Ave. Oakland 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 825 Market St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
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.
CVS Pharmacy (26059 Mission Blvd) 26059 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.

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