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
Native American Health Center (Seven Directions) 2950 International Blvd Oakland Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Sharps Kiosk inside for approved sharps containers.
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.
Mission Wellness Pharmacy (2424 Mission) 2424 Mission San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Walgreens 745 Clement St. 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
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.
Walgreens 5300 3rd St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Walgreens 3001 Taraval St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
CVS Pharmacy (7201 Regional St) 7201 Regional St Dublin Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Drop-off Box inside for needles/syringes in FDA-approved Sharps Containers up to 1 gallon in size.
North East Medical Services 1520 Stockon St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Visitacion Valley Pharmacy 100 Leland Ave. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Stericycle (San Jose) 189 Stauffer Blvd San Jose Safe Disposal Pick-up for a Fee Mailback Kits for homes
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.
Walgreens 790 Van Ness Ave. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Walgreens 825 Market St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
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.
CVS Pharmacy (243 W Jackson St) 243 West Jackson St 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 670 4th St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Walgreens 3201 Divisadero St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off

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