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
City of Palo Alto Household Hazardous Waste Station Program 2501 Embarcadero Way Palo Alto Safe Disposal Free Drop-off, Drop-off for a Fee For commercial hazardous waste information, call the City's hazardous waste contractor (Clean Harbors) at 800-433-5060.,Must be in a rigid container with a sealed lid.
CVS Pharmacy (Telegraph Ave) 2655 Telegraph Ave Berkeley 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 1400 Noriega Street 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 1301 Franklin St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Walgreens 459 Powell 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.
El Cerrito Recycling + Environmental Resource Center 7501 Schmidt Ln. El Cerrito Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Must be in a thick plastic container with a screw top lid.; Bin always locked seek staff for assistance (office and/or yard). Only for RecycleMore residents.
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
Walgreens 2494 San Bruno Ave. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Waste Management, Inc. - Medical Waste Collection Services 1001 Fannin
Suite 4000
Houston Safe Disposal Pick-up for a Fee
Walgreens 25 Point Lobos Ave. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Alameda County Household Hazardous Waste Program (Oakland Facility) 2100 East 7th Street Oakland 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.
CVS Pharmacy (3667 Castro Valley Blvd) 3667 Castro Valley Blvd Castro Valley 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 2574 San Bruno Avenue 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 1301 Market St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Walgreens 4645 Mission 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.
John Muir Rossmoor Medical Center Pharmacy 1220 Rossmoor Parkway Walnut Creek Safe Disposal Free Drop-off

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