Long Beach Recycles

Medical Waste

What is Medical Waste?

Home-generated medical waste includes unused medications, sharps, syringes, and lancets.  

Why is it important to dispose of medical waste properly?

Sharps and lancets that are not properly disposed of can harm the public and the workers that handle waste. Home-generated sharps need to be put in an approved and properly labeled container and taken to an approved facility.

Properly dispose of all medications. Never flush medications down the toilet or put them in your garbage.

Physicians, hospitals, and other medical care providers are often willing to take back home-generated sharps from their patients. 

Where Can I Safely Dispose My Medical Waste?

Residents can safely dispose of their medical waste through the following options:

• Drop it off at a designated bin location listed on the California Product Stewardship Council website. You can also find more information on their unused medication collection program called Don’t Rush to Flush.
• Visit pharmacies such as Walgreens and CVS
• Take to a local HHW collection center or collection event

Request a Free Sharps Mail-Back Container with Pre-Paid Postage

California’s Producer-Funded Home-Generated Safe Sharps Disposal Program offers consumers free sharps disposal mail-back services for safe, easy, and convenient disposal. Please visit the following links to order your free sharps container:

www.med-project.org/locations/california/sharps/mail-back-services/
www.disposemyneedles.com/resources-for-consumer
www.safemedicinedrop.com/mailback-casharps/