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
Walgreens 3801 3rd St. Suite 550 San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Walgreens 790 Van Ness Ave. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Walgreens 2120 Polk St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Walgreens 1300 Bush 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.
Delta HHW Collection Facility 2550 Pittsburg-Antioch Hwy Antioch Safe Disposal Free Drop-off, Drop-off for a Fee The Delta HHW Collection Facility Sharps Program is available to residents of East Contra Costa County. Please go to https://www.deltadiablo.org/sharps for more information and directions.
Walgreens 1100 Van Ness Avenue San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
CVS Pharmacy (2000 Driscoll Rd) 2000 Driscoll Rd Fremont Safe Disposal Free Drop-off Drop-off Box inside for needles/syringes in FDA-approved Sharps Containers up to 1 gallon in size.
Walgreens 550 16th Street San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Mission Pharmacy 22138 Mission Blvd Hayward 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 East 12th St. & 23rd Ave. Oakland Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Walgreens 4129 18th St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Walgreens 825 Market St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Walgreens 2141 Chestnut St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Walgreens 1301 Franklin St. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
Access Pharmacy 2693 Fruitvale Ave 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 container 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.
MedWaste Management 5830 W. 3rd St
Unit 331
Los Angeles Safe Disposal Pick-up for a Fee
Walgreens 1175 Columbus Ave. San Francisco Safe Disposal Free Drop-off
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.

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