Household Hazardous Waste
This item should never be put in a curbside bin. For more information visit our household hazardous waste page.
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.
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 | 4129 18th St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
| UC Berkeley, University Health Services, Tang Center |
2222 Bancroft Ave Room 115 |
Berkeley | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-box in pharmacy. | |
| Walgreens | 2141 Chestnut St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
| CVS Pharmacy (1550 E 14th St) | 1550 E 14th St | San Leandro | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-off Box inside for needles/syringes in FDA-approved Sharps Containers up to 1 gallon in size. | |
| Walgreens | 1750 Noreiga St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
| Central Drug Store | 4494 Mission St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
| CVS (799 Beach St) | 799 Beach St | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
| Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy (Pleasanton) |
7601 Stoneridge Dr South 1 Pharmacy |
Pleasanton | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-off Box inside for needles/syringes in FDA-approved Sharps Containers up to 1 gallon in size. | |
| Casa Segura | 2313 San Pablo Ave | Oakland | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
| Walgreens | 965 Geneva Ave. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
| Walgreens | 456 Mission St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
| Kaiser Medical Offices Pharmacy (Dublin) | 3100 Dublin Blvd | Dublin | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-box inside. | |
| Walgreens | 2145 Market St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
| CVS Pharmacy (699 Lewelling Blvd) | 699 Lewelling Blvd | San Leandro | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-off Box inside for needles/syringes in FDA-approved Sharps Containers up to 1 gallon in size. | |
| Walgreens | 1899 Fillmore St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
| AHF Pharmacy | 4071 18th St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Pickup a FREE empty sharps collection container, fill it up, and return to any participating SF pharmacy. Loose needles cannot be accepted. | |
| CVS (499 Haight St) | 499 Haight St | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
| Capsule Pharmacy |
2557 Mowry Ave Suite 11 |
Fremont | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-off Box inside for needles/syringes in FDA-approved Sharps Containers up to 1 gallon in size. | |
| Needle Exchange Emergency Distribution (Durant Ave) | 2340 Durant Ave | Berkeley | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
| Alameda County Household Hazardous Waste Program (Hayward Facility) | 2091 West Winton Avenue | Hayward | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Acceptance of standard size containers as well as larger than 1g sharps containers. CGM's (continuous glucose monitors) are accepted from residents using these at home with the sharp (&/or applicator) separated into an approved FDA approved sharps container, and the devices collected in a thick Ziploc bag. At drop-off, resident should inform HHW staff they have these medical devices. |
