Household Hazardous Waste
This item should never be put in a curbside bin. For more information visit our household hazardous waste page.
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.
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.
Vendor | Address | City | Destination | Disposal Method | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Walgreens | 498 Castro St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
Walgreens | 2550 Ocean Ave. | 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. | |
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. | |
Shoreway Environmental Center (SEC) | 333 Shoreway Road | San Carlos | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Public Recycling Center. Must be in an authorized Sharps container. | |
CalRecycle's Where to Recycle Location Finder |
1001 I St PO Box 4025 |
Sacramento | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | https://calrecycle.ca.gov/epr/pharmasharps/sharps/ | |
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 | ||
City of Richmond Drop-off Kiosk - Senior Center | 2525 MacDonald Ave | Richmond | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Must be in approved sharps container. | |
Richmond Annex Senior Center | 5801 Huntington Avenue | Richmond | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Must be in approved sharps container. | |
Veolia Environmental Services | 1125 Hensley St | Richmond | Safe Disposal | Mail-in for a Fee | ||
Richmond Police Department | 1701 Regatta Blvd. | Richmond | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Must be in an approved sharps container. | |
West County Wastewater | 2910 Hilltop Drive | Richmond | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Must bein an approved sharps container. | |
West County HHW Collection Facility | 101 Pittsburg Ave. | Richmond | Recycle | Free Drop-off, Drop-off for a Fee | Accepted in approved sharps collection containers. | |
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. | |
Pleasanton Transfer Station | 3110 Busch Rd. | Pleasanton | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | HHW drop-off for residents only | |
CVS Pharmacy (3010 Bernal Ave) | 3010 Bernal Ave | Pleasanton | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-off Box inside for needles/syringes in FDA-approved Sharps Containers up to 1 gallon in size. | |
CVS Pharmacy (6750 Bernal Ave) | 6750 Bernal Ave | Pleasanton | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-off Box inside for needles/syringes in FDA-approved Sharps Containers up to 1 gallon in size. | |
Novo Nordisk | 800 Scudders Mill Rd | Plainsboro | Safe Disposal | Free Mail-in | Customers who are CA residents can order a free sharps disposal container that comes with a free return shipping label. | |
Wellspring Pharmacy | 4184 C Piedmont Ave | Piedmont | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-off Box inside for needles/syringes in FDA-approved Sharps Containers up to 1 gallon in size. | |
Piedmont Police Department | 403 Highland Avenue | Piedmont | 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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