Safe Medicine Disposal Program

Residents of Sonoma and Mendocino Counties can drop off or mail back their unused, expired or otherwise unwanted medications free of charge at locations throughout the region. Protect your family and the environment by properly disposing of your unwanted medications.

a dark blue collection bin with a sticker on it that says Safeley dispose of expired or unwanted medicine

MED-Project and The Drug Takeback Solutions Foundation

The program operators for California's Pharmaceutical and Sharps Waste Stewardship Programs, have worked together to create coordinated websites to provide ultimate users with access to statewide pharmaceutical and home-generated sharps waste disposal options.

Each website provides ultimate users with disposal information, including links for ordering free mail-back materials and identifying drop-off locations for unwanted medicine. 

Protect water quality in rivers and streams

Recent studies show that pharmaceuticals in rivers and streams, if present at high enough concentrations, can harm aquatic wildlife. When flushed down the drain, some medications are not completely removed by wastewater treatment plants. Proper disposal of unused medicine can help protect the environment.

Keep medications out of the wrong hands

Unused and readily accessible medicines have the potential to be misused and abused, especially by teens. Prescription medications are the most commonly abused substance in the U.S.

Protect young children from accidental poisonings

Colorful pills and packaging can be attractive to young children. About 165 young children − or roughly four school bus loads of children − are seen in U.S. emergency rooms each day after getting into medications. Trips to the Emergency Room can easily be prevented!

Thanks to newly implemented statewide legislation, Sonoma and Mendocino County residents now have more convenient opportunities to safely dispose of their expired or unwanted medications and home-generated sharps waste.

Thanks to the passage of Senate Bill 212, starting in 2023, more and more medication collection bins have been popping up at local pharmacies. Large chain stores like CVS, Safeway, Lucky Pharmacy, and Rite Aid are participating in this new stewardship program along with local pharmacies to provide safe drop-off of medications at the same place you pick up prescriptions. Some local law enforcement agencies also provide collection bins for residents to drop-off medications. There are also mail-back options available.

Senate Bill 212 takes the responsibility for collection and disposal from public entities to stewardship groups funded by the pharmaceutical manufacturers and producers, saving taxpayer money and local resources! The Stewardship Law also promotes the circular economy, by mandating manufacturers consider end-of-life disposal in the design and management of their products.