Guidelines for Household
Medicines & Sharps Collection
YES
YES
NO
Medicines Accepted
Prescription medications
Over-the-counter medicines
Pet medicines
Medicine samples
Medicated ointments & lotions
Inhalers
Liquid medicines in leakproof containers
OK to mix pills in a plastic baggie
Sharps Accepted (in an
approved container)
Hypodermic needles
Pen needles
Intravenous needles
Lancets or anything else used
to deliver medicine through the skin
Items NOT Accepted (OK in trash
except where noted)
Take controlled substances (e.g. narcotics) only to designated police stations
No vitamins or supplements
No herbal remedies
No personal care products
No hydrogen peroxide or aerosol cans
No bloody or infectious waste or IV bags
No thermometers (take to HHW Facility)
No empty containers or packaging
(recycle when possible)
No business waste (contract with
registered medical waste hauler)
It is illegal in California to discard used
sharps in the garbage or recycling, and
used sharps must be transported in an
approved sharps container.
for home medicines
— the answer to a growing problem.
Be Safe
Dispose of unused medicines and used sharps
promptly and properly. Why? Accidental ingestion
of old medicines can result in an overdose or
poisoning. Home medicine cabinets are the prime
source of prescription drugs abused by teens. And
used sharps can harbor infectious disease.
Be Informed
Medicines and sharps must not be thrown in the
trash or flushed down the toilet. When flushed,
medicines cannot always be detoxified, even by a
modern sewage treatment plant, so some drugs go
right into the Bay. Syringes or pen needles placed
in the garbage or recycling cart may prick sanitation
workers, and these workers might get sick.
No Drugs
Down the Drain!
What to do?
Take unused or expired medicines
and used sharps to a collection
site. Most pharmacies and clinics in
our county participate. Bring sharps
in an approved protective (usually red)
sharps container. New sharps containers
are available at each site that accepts sharps.
Collaborative program coordinated by the County of Santa Cruz,
with the Cities of Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Capitola and Scotts Valley.
Printed on 100% recycled paper. • Rev. 6/2013.
union bug
for home medicines
In Santa Cruz County,
including the cities of Santa Cruz,
Watsonville, Capitola and Scotts Valley
Safe, Free, Disposal
of Medicines and Sharps
Aptos
CVS Pharmacy Sharps only
783 Rio Del Mar Blvd. • Drop off during pharmacy hours • 687-0460
Frank’s Pharmacy Medicines & Sharps
for home medicines
7518 Soquel Dr. • Drop off during store hours • 685-1100
Santa Cruz
Safeway Pharmacy 16 Rancho Del Mar • Drop off during pharmacy hours • 661-4861
Bruce’s Medical Plaza Pharmacy
Ben Lomond
County Health Center
Sharps only
Ben Lomond Transfer Medicines & Sharps
Station Household Hazardous Waste Facility
9835 Newell Creek Rd. • Thursdays, 7:30-3:30 • 454-2606
Bring in waste medicines and sharps
to any of these convenient take-back
sites around Santa Cruz County
Soquel
Medicines & Sharps
550 Water St. • Drop off during store hours • 423-4363
Sharps only
Safeway Pharmacy
Sharps only
2720 41st Ave. • Drop off during pharmacy hours • 477-7217
Watsonville
1080 Emeline Ave. • 24 hour drop off • 454-4100
Buena Vista Landfill
Medicines & Sharps
Household Hazardous Waste Facility
CVS Pharmacy
1231 Buena Vista Dr. • Wed, Fri & Sat, 7:30-3:30 • 454-2606
Sharps only
600 Front St. • Drop off during pharmacy hours • 426-7444
Boulder Creek
County Health Center
CVS Pharmacy
9 Crestview Dr. • 24 hour drop off • 763-8400
Boulder Creek Pharmacy Medicines & Sharps
1700 Mission St. • Drop off during pharmacy hours • 457-2481
13081 Central Ave. • Drop off during store hours • 338-2144
Dominican Hospital
Plaza Pharmacy
Capitola
Capitola Police
Department
Medicines only
Controlled drugs accepted
Sharps only
Sharps only
1595 Soquel Dr. • Drop off during store hours • 462-7726
Horsnyder Pharmacy
Medicines & Sharps
CVS Pharmacy
CVS Pharmacy
Valle Verde Pharmacy
CVS Pharmacy Resource Recovery Facility Medicines & Sharps
Household Hazardous Waste Facility
Walgreens
CVS Pharmacy Sharps only
809 Bay Ave. • Drop off during pharmacy hours • 475-1421
Lauden Pharmacy Medicines & Sharps
1820 41st Ave • Drop off during store hours • 462-9880
Felton
CVS Pharmacy Sharps only
6247 Graham Hill Rd. • Drop off during pharmacy hours • 335-6403
Scotts Valley
CVS Pharmacy Sharps only
257 Mt. Hermon Rd. • Drop off during pharmacy hours • 438-5920
Scotts Valley
Medical Clinic
Medicines only
605 Dimeo Ln. • Saturdays, 7:30-3:30 • 454-2606
Safeway Pharmacy Sharps only
117 Morrissey Blvd. • Drop off during pharmacy hours • 426-8911
Safeway Pharmacy
Sharps only
2203 Mission St. • Drop off during pharmacy hours • 420-0785
Santa Cruz Police Dept.
Medicines only
155 Center St. • Drop off during lobby hours • 420-5870
UCSC Cowell Health Center Pharmacy
Medicines & Sharps
UC Santa Cruz Police
Department
Medicines only
Controlled drugs accepted
114 Carriage House Rd. • 24 hour drop off • 459-2231
Walgreens
Scotts Valley Police
Department
201 Front St. • Drop off during store hours • 421-9142
Walgreens
Medicines & Sharps
1718 Soquel Ave. • Drop off during store hours • 425-3911
Walgreens
Westside Pharmacy
Medicines & Sharps
Medicines & Sharps
1810 Freedom Blvd. • Drop off during store hours • 768-0183
Waste & Recycling
Medicines & Sharps
Drop-off Household Hazardous Waste Facility
320 Harvest Dr. • Tues, Wed & 2nd Sat, 9-3:30 • 768-3133
Watsonville Pharmacy
Medicines & Sharps
1433 Freedom Blvd. • Drop off during store hours • 728-1818
Watsonville Police
Department
Medicines only
Controlled drugs accepted
215 Union St. • 24 hour drop off • 768-3300
Your participation directly
benefits our environment!
Medicines & Sharps
1 Civic Center Dr. • 24 hour drop off • 440-5670
210 Mt. Hermon Rd. • Drop off during store hours • 430-9113
Medicines & Sharps
240 Green Valley Rd. • Drop off during store hours • 728-2239
McLaughlin Dr. • Drop off during business hours • 459-1407
2980 El Rancho Dr. • Drop off during business hours • 438-1430
Medicines only
Controlled drugs accepted
Sharps only
490 Rodriguez St. • Drop off during pharmacy hours • 722-9454
1226A Soquel Ave. • Drop off during store hours • 423-2315
Sharps only
Sharps only
1966 Main St. • Drop off during pharmacy hours • 722-1782
422 Capitola Ave. • Drop off during lobby hours • 475-4242
1750 41st Ave. • Drop off during pharmacy hours • 476-0400
Sharps only
Medicines & Sharps
1401 Mission St. • Drop off during store hours • 423-7175
For more information, call
or visit
831-454-2160
www.sharpmedsolutions.org