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.
Drop-off Location Finder for Safe Disposal of Sharps Containers
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.
- Free Sharps Containers: Free FDA-approved sharps containers may be ordered online by clicking here through the California Sharps Mail Back program. The pharmaceutical company that your injectable medication comes from may offer a free sharps container program.
- Mail-back: Free shipping labels and envelopes to mail in your sharps container for safe disposal are available through Med-Project. Some pharmaceutical companies offer free mail-back of sharps containers to their injectables patients.
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.
Vendors
| Vendor | Address | City | Destination | Disposal Method | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West County Wastewater | 2910 Hilltop Drive | Richmond | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Must bein an approved sharps container. | |
| 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 | |
| Walgreens | 456 Mission St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
| Walgreens | 2145 Market St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
| Richmond Fire Department Station #63 | 5201 Valley View Rd. | El Sobrante | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Must be in approved sharps container. | |
| MedPro Disposal |
1548 Bond St #106 |
Naperville | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | Commercial quantity | |
| Pleasanton Transfer Station | 3110 Busch Rd. | Pleasanton | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | HHW drop-off for residents only | |
| CVS Pharmacy (1500 1st St) | 1500 First St | Livermore | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-off Box inside for needles/syringes in FDA-approved Sharps Containers up to 1 gallon in size. | |
| Shoreway Environmental Center (SEC) | 333 Shoreway Road | San Carlos | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Public Recycling Center. Must be in an authorized Sharps container. | |
| Walnut Creek Fire Station | 1050 Walnut Avenue | Walnut Creek | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Please place needles/sharps in an authorized sharps container before placing them in the collection receptacle. | |
| Walgreens | 1189 Potrero Ave. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
| Alamo Sheriff's Substation |
150 Alamo Plaza Suite C |
Alamo | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Needles & Syringes must be in approved container and can be placed in the needles drop box. | |
| Walgreens | 459 Powell St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
| Walgreens | 2494 San Bruno Ave. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
| City of Richmond Drop-off Kiosk - Senior Center | 2525 MacDonald Ave | Richmond | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Must be in approved sharps container. | |
| MED-Project: Bay Area Meds Drop-Box Location Finder | 1800 M St, NW | Washington | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Online location finder. hypodermic needles, pen needles, pre-loaded sharps, auto-injectors, intravenous needles, lancets, and other devices used to penetrate the skin for drawing blood, or for the delivery of medicines) contained in FDA-cleared sharps containers. Mail-Back Services are available for Residents upon request. | |
| CVS Pharmacy (4405 1st St) | 4405 First St | Livermore | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-off Box inside for needles/syringes in FDA-approved Sharps Containers up to 1 gallon in size. | |
| Biologic Environmental Services & Waste Solutions | 23490 Connecticut St | Hayward | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | Call for specific info on this waste. Commercial quantity | |
| WM Think Green From Home | 172 98th Ave | Oakland | Safe Disposal | Pick-up for a Fee | Online service. Programs for residents and businesses. |
