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.
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 | 2100 Webster St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
| Walgreens | 1301 Franklin St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
| 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. | |
| CVS Pharmacy (Newark) | 35080 Newark Blvd | Newark | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | 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. | |
| CVS Pharmacy (7200 Bancroft Ave) | 7200 Bancroft Ave | Oakland | 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 (Marina Village Pkwy) | 931 Marina Village Parkway | Alameda | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Drop-box inside | |
| North East Medical Services | 1019 Clement Street | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
| 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 | 3801 3rd St. Suite 550 | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
| Walgreens | 2120 Polk St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
| Walgreens | 1301 Market St. | San Francisco | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
| John Muir Rossmoor Medical Center Pharmacy | 1220 Rossmoor Parkway | Walnut Creek | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | ||
| Lafayette Fire Station | 3338 Mt. Diablo Blvd. | Lafayette | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Please place needles/sharps in an authorized sharps container before placing them in the collection receptacle. | |
| Ted's Drugs | 27453 Hesperian Blvd | Hayward | Safe Disposal | Free Drop-off | Sharps, syringes, needles, auto injectors, prefilled syringes with needle, and lancets should be in a sealed FDA cleared Sharps container. 1g max size container. | |
| CVS Pharmacy (4100 Redwood Rd) | 4100 Redwood Rd | Oakland | 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 (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 | ||
| 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. |
