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Pharmaceuticals

CVSan is now co-sponsoring the collection of pharmaceutical waste from a free public collection box located at the new Eden Medical Center.

The safe management and disposal of pharmaceutical (medicine) waste is important to Castro Valley Sanitary District and our community. Please do not dump any pharmaceutical waste down the drain or in the garbage. Castro Valley Community Action Network (CVCan) has found: “Improper disposal (of pharmaceuticals) can lead to pharm abuse, accidental poisonings and groundwater/bay pollution.”

Thanks to the partnership between Castro Valley Sanitary District (CVSan), Eden Medical Center, and the Alameda County Medication Disposal Initiative Workgroup, you can now drop off your pharmaceutical waste at the new Eden Medical Center for free 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The location of the free public collection box is:
Eden Medical Center
20103 Lake Chabot Road
Castro Valley, CA 94546

Drive up the main driveway to the Parking Garage. Park in the Medical Center Parking Garage on Floors 5 or 6.
Walk right across to the Emergency Entrance where the collection box is located (shown below).
Please note the following guidelines below when disposing of pharmaceuticals.

   

Disposal Bin and Procedures:

Medical Center Staff will not handle pharmaceuticals

Staff will only provide information, assistance, and answer questions.

Dispose of your pharmaceuticals directly into the bin (shown below)

Place your pills in a zippered plastic bag or leave in their original containers (plastic bags are the preferred method to use for disposal).

Liquids and ointments must remain in original containers.

Empty bottles go in your recycling cart after personal information is crossed off or removed.

 

What Can Be Dropped Off Here?

Items Accepted at This Location:

Prescription medications (except controlled)

Over-the-counter medications

Medication samples

Pet Medications

Medicated ointments, lotions, creams, and oils

Inhalers

Liquid and powder medications in leak proof containers

Suppositories

Items Not Accepted at This Location:

Sharps (needles, syringes, lancets)

Thermometers

Controlled substances

IV bags

Bloody or infectious waste

Personal care products

Empty containers

Hydrogen Peroxide

Aerosol cans

Radioactive pharmaceuticals

Vaccines

Non-household generated pharmaceuticals

*Note:Collection at this location is strictly limited to public disposal during Eden Medical Center normal operating hours (currently open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week). Businesses, including pharmacies, may not dispose of pharmaceutical waste here. CVSan is only sponsoring the collection of waste from this location and is not liable for the collection container and items therein.

 

Where Do Controlled Substances Go?

For controlled substances such as narcotics, sleeping pills, antidepressants and cough syrup with codeine, please take these to the Alameda County Sheriff’s Eden Township Substation at 15001 Foothill Blvd in San Leandro (510) 667-7721 or The Elihu Harris State Office Building at 1515 Clay St. in Oakland.

 

Dispose of household hazardous waste safely, conveniently -- and FREE at the Household Hazardous Waste facility

Examples of household hazardous waste

Are expired or unused medcines in your bathroom or kitchen?

Other sharps disposal options

Other battery disposal options

Waste Management online service for compact fluorescent bulb recycling from home

Hazardous waste (Small Business Generator Program) 

 

Note: While CVSan highly recommends taking your unwanted pharmaceuticals to the drop box at Eden Hospital or another take-back location or event such as CVSan Recycles Day (see event details as actual collected items which may vary), it is not illegal at this time to place them in your garbage cart.  If you are unable to take the pharmaceuticals for proper disposal, you can mix any unused medicines with your garbage so no one will be tempted to take them out.  Also, if the medicines are placed in your garbage cart, they should be contained and to protect your privacy we recommend that you blackout or remove the labels on prescription containers.