Safe Waste Disposal: Medicine
Safe Medicine and Sharps Disposal
Safe medicine and sharps disposal protects our environment and helps prevent poisonings, overdoses, and needlestick injuries to people and pets.
Visit the webpages below to find disposal locations and mail-back options for medicine and sharps at no cost to you.
Sign up for email updates on:
Safe medicine disposal locations and information
Sharps disposal locations and information
Sharps Drop-off and Mail Back Options
California State law Section 118286 of the California Health and Safety Code makes it illegal to dispose of sharps waste in the trash or recycling bins, and requires that all sharps waste be transported to a collection center in an approved sharps container. This includes:
Medicine Drop-off and Mail-Back Options
Unused and unwanted medicine should not be put in the trash, recycling, or flushed down the toilet.
Residents have access to two convenient medicine disposal options – mail-back or drop-off at a collection bin.
Sign up for email updates on safe medicine disposal locations and information.
Safe Medicine Disposal Ordinance
The Safe Medicine Disposal Ordinance went into effect on May 28, 2015. The Ordinance requires medicine producers who manufacture prescription or over-the-counter medicines offered for sale in San Mateo County to implement a medicine disposal program for residents. The County provides oversight to ensure that the Program meets the needs of the community and adheres to the Ordinance.
- Wholesaler Submittal Template
- 05/27/2016 MED-Project Product Stewardship Plan
- 08/26/2016 Revised MED-Project Product Stewardship Plan
- 09/13/2016 Notice of Determination
- 01/31/2018 Revised MED-Project Product Stewardship Plan
- 2017 MED-Project Annual Report
- 06/15/2018 Revised MED-Project Product Stewardship Plan
- 2018 MED-Project Annual Report
- 04/15/2019 Revised MED-Project Product Stewardship Plan
- 2019 MED-Project Annual Report
- 02/28/2020 Inmar Drug Stewardship Plan
- 09/25/2020 Revised Inmar Drug Stewardship Plan
- 02/10/2021 Revised Inmar Drug Stewardship Plan
- 2020 MED-Project Annual Report
- 2021 MED-Project Annual Report
- 09/09/2022 Revised Inmar Drug Stewardship Plan
- 10/21/2022 Notice of Determination (Conditional Approval)
- 01/19/2023 Revised Inmar Intelligence Stewardship Plan
- MED-Project Survey Results (Sept - Nov 2022)
- Guidance for the Implementation of a Single System of Promotion and Program Goals
- 2022 MED-Project Annual Report
- 09/18/2023 Revised MED-Project Product Stewardship Plan
- 07/11/2023 MED-Project Notice of Determination (Conditional Approval)
- 07/11/2023 Inmar Notice of Determination (Conditional Approval)
- 12/21/23 MED-Project Notice of Determination (Conditional Approval)
- 01/05/24 MED-Project Response to Notice of Determination
- 2023 MED-Project Annual Report
- 2022 Inmar Intelligence Annual Report
- 2023 Inmar Intelligence Annual Report
- 10/09/23 Revised Inmar Intelligence Stewardship Plan
- 08/28/2024 Inmar Intelligence Status Update Report
- 03/21/24 Revised MED-Project four-year Product Stewardship Plan
- 10/01/24 MED-Project Notice of Determination (Approval)
- 04/14/23 MED-Project four-year Product Stewardship Plan
- 08/10/23 MED-Project Response to Notice of Determination
- 01/16/20 MED-Project Notice of Determination (Approval)
- Read more