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
Richmond Police Department 1701 Regatta Blvd. Richmond Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Must be in an approved sharps container.
Richmond Fire Department Station #63 5201 Valley View Rd. El Sobrante 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.
Republic Services, Inc. Mail Back Service 42600 Boyce Rd Fremont Safe Disposal Mail-in for a Fee Includes razor blades, tattoo needles and piercing devices. - Sharps Mail-in program
Reliable Rexall Sunset Pharmacy 801 Irving St San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Recology SF Household Hazardous Waste Facility 501 Tunnel Ave. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Limit of 15 gallons or 125 pounds per day of all household hazardous waste. San Francisco residents only. Address verification required. Open Thursday-Saturday only from 8am-4pm.
Pleasanton Transfer Station 3110 Busch Rd. Pleasanton Safe Disposal Free Drop-off HHW drop-off for residents only
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.
Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy 925 Cole St San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Orinda Police Department 22 Orinda Way Orinda Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Please place needles/sharps in an authorized sharps container before placing them in the collection receptacle.
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.
North East Medical Services 1019 Clement Street San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
North East Medical Services 1400 Noriega Street San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
North East Medical Services 2574 San Bruno Avenue San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
North East Medical Services 1520 Stockon St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
New Oakland Pharmacy (Lake Merritt) 250 E 18th Street
3rd Floor
Oakland Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Kiosk inside. Sharps, syringes, needles, auto injectors, prefilled syringes with needle, and lancets should be in a sealed FDA cleared Sharps container. 1g max size.
New Oakland Pharmacy (333 9th St) 333 9th St
b/t Webster St & Franklin St
Oakland Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Drop-off Box inside for needles/syringes in FDA-approved Sharps Containers up to 1 gallon in size.
New Oakland Pharmacy #2 (388 9th St) 388 9th St Oakland 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 (Shattuck Ave) 3124 Shattuck Ave Berkeley Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Needle Exchange Emergency Distribution (Hearst St) Hearst Street @ San Pablo Ave Berkeley Safe Disposal Free Drop-off

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