Household Hazardous Waste & Medicine Disposal
MEDICINE & NEEDLE DISPOSAL
Medicines help treat diseases, manage chronic conditions, and improve health and well-being for millions of Americans. It is important that patients take their medicines as prescribed by their health care provider. However, if you have expired or unwanted medicines or sharps, proper disposal is important and easy.
Tossing sharps (injection needles) and medicine in the trash can poison or injure people and pets. When disposed of down sinks or toilets, these materials can also cause pharmaceutical pollution in the San Francisco Bay or injury at wastewater treatment plants.
There are various community kiosk drop-off sites that allow patients to properly dispose of their expired or unwanted medicines or sharps.
Medication and Sharp Safe Disposal Options
Medicine and sharps disposal locations (RWQCP service area) PDF
HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE
Household hazardous waste (HHW) is home-generated waste that is toxic, flammable, or reactive. Common HHW includes paint and paint thinners, batteries, cooling oil, cleaners, pool chemicals, fluorescent light bulbs, mercury waste and propane tanks. Medicines (no controlled substances) and sharps in proper containers are also accepted at select HHW stations.
palo alto household hazardous waste station (HHWS)
Hours of operation: Every Saturday (9am-11am) and the first Friday of each month (3pm-5pm).
Address: 2501 Embarcadero Way (near the entrance of the Regional Water Quality Control Plant).
Palo Alto residents only.
For information about scheduling appointments (small businesses) and accepted items visit Palo Alto’s Household Hazardous Waste Station.
additional hhw disposal services:
Santa Clara County HHW Program
408.299.7300
Santa Clara County residents only
650.655.6202
Santa Mateo County residents only
San Francisco City and County HHW Program
415.330.1425
San Francisco residents only
408.752.8530
The Sunnyvale Materials Recovery and Transfer (SMaRT) Station accepts limited HHW items and sharps. Call or visit their website for details. Mountain View, Sunnyvale and Palo Alto residents only
