Login |  Contact Us |  Search 
Green Health Care
Green Pharmacy
Symbiosis Journal
Resources
Members
Donate
About Us
Home

Green Pharmacy Take Back Locations

A pilot program in the San Francisco Bay Area offering free and safe disposal of unwanted medications.



YES: Items Accepted NO: Items Not Accepted
  • Prescription medications (except controlled**)
  • All over-the-counter medications
  • Medication samples
  • Vitamins and supplements
  • Medicated ointments, lotions, creams, and oils
  • Liquid medication in leakproof containers
  • Homeopathic Remedies
  • Pet medications
  • Thermometers *
  • Suppositories
  • Needles and Sharps
  • Syringes with needles
  • Controlled prescriptions** (e.g. narcotics, vicodin, ritalin, codeine, oxycodone, valium, etc.)
  • IV bags
  • Bloody or infectious waste
  • Personal care products
  • Empty containers
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Aerosol cans
  • Full Inhalers
  • No pharmaceutical waste from any other source besides households (i.e. clinics, pharmacies, hospitals)

* Thermometers are accepted at certain locations and events
**Ask your doctor or pharmacist if your unwanted medication is classified as a controlled prescription or download our list below.

How To Return Your Unwanted Medicines

  1. Gather your unwanted medications and other approved items
  2. Keep them in their original containers (mark out any personal information if you wish, but do not mark out the name of the medicine!).
  3. Fill out the Medicine Return Form, at home or at the take-back site.
  4. Bring the medications to drop off locations, or events listed below.
  5. Give medicines to onsite staff.

Forms and FAQ


How To Dispose of Unacceptable Items
Please download our guide for disposing of items such as controlled prescriptions, hazardous substances, needles and sharps, or inhalers.


Take Back Locations

San Francisco

Green Dentistry, 360 Post Street, #704, San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 433-0119, Tue-Fri: 9-5pm

East Bay

Teleosis Institute, 1521B 5th Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
(510) 558-7285, M-Th: 9-5pm, Fri: 9-1pm
*Accepts mercury thermometers

Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy, 1744 Solano Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94707
(510) 527-8929, M-Fri: 9-7pm, Sat: 9-6pm, Sun: 10-6pm

Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy, 5729 College Ave. Oakland, CA 94618
(510) 740-1468, M-Fri: 9-7pm, Sat-Sun: 10-6pm

Transcendentist, 3030 Ashby Avenue, Suite 101, Berkeley, CA 94705
(510) 841-3040, M-Th: 9-5pm, Some Fridays

Chimes Pharmacy, 3210 College Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94705
(510) 652-1990, M-Fri: 9:30-6pm, Sat: 9:30-5pm

Elephant Pharm, 1607 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94709
(510) 549-9200, M-Fri 9-9pm, Sat-Sun: 9-6pm
*Accepts mercury thermometers

Elephant Pharm, 1388 S. California Blvd, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
(925) 658-5301, M-Fri: 9-9pm, Sat-Sun: 9-6pm

United Pharmacy, 2929 Telegraph Ave, Berkeley, CA 94705
(510) 843-3201, M-Fri: 9-6pm, Sat: 9-2pm

North Bay

Health First! Integrative Pharmacy, 9070 Windsor Road, Windsor CA 95492
(707) 837-7948, M-Fri: 9-6pm, Sat-Sun: 11-5pm

Coastal Health Alliance, Point Reyes Medical Clinic
3 Sixth St., PO Box 910, Pt. Reyes Station, CA 94956
(415) 663-8666 , M-Fri: 9-5pm, Sat: 9-4pm

Coastal Health Alliance, Bolinas Family Practice
88 Mesa Rd., Bolinas, CA 94924
(415) 868-0124 , M-Fri: 9-5pm

Elephant Pharm, 909 Grand Ave, San Rafael
(415) 462 -6001, M-Fri: 9-9pm, Sat-Sun: 9-6pm
**co-sponsored by County of Marin and BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.

Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy , 230 East Blithedale, Mill Valley
(415) 388-6354, M-Fri: 9-7pm, Sat: 10-6pm, Sun: 12-6pm
**sponsored by County of Marin

Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy , 7514 Redwood Blvd, Novato
(415) 892-3722, M-Fri: 9-7pm, Sat-Sun: 10-6pm
**sponsored by County of Marin

South Bay
Elephant Pharm, 4470 El Camino Real, Los Altos, CA 94022
(650) 472-6800, M-Fri: 9-9pm, Sat-Sun: 9-6pm

Central Coast
Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy, 570 Munras Ave, Monterey, CA 93940
(831) 333-0751, M-Fri: 9-8pm, Sat-Sun: 10-6pm

Upcoming Take Back Events

May 31, 2008   10am to 2pm
4th Annual Richmond Community Health Festival
Richmond Recreation Center, 251 18th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94121

June 13, 2008
Livermore Blood Drive & Prescription Take Back Event
Robert Livermore Community Center, Livermore, CA

Other Take-Back Programs and Resources:

California Programs and Resources

National Programs and Resources
* Please note, we are working on updating our database of national programs, please check back for updates!


Previous Take-Back Events Results

March 1, 2008
Tamalpais Community Service District Shred-It
Teleosis Instiute collected 12 pounds of medicines, and donated a large box of unused syringes, lancets, and glucometers to Vida Life , an organization in Emeryville which donates medical supplies to Latin America.



February 21-24, 2008
Pharmaca Montery Pharmaca Grand Opening Celebration and Medicine Take Back
570 Munras Ave, Monterey, CA 93940
The Teleosis Institute collected more than 16 pounds of unwanted medicines.




February 23, 2008    9am to 2pm
Elephant Pharm: Rossmoor Senior & Pet Fair
1001 Golden Rain Road, Walnut Creek, CA



Sunday, August 5, 2007
Green Home EXPO City of Berkeley Green Home EXPO
The Teleosis Institute collected more than 100 pounds of unwanted medicines, and over 40 thermometers (a total of about 55 grams of mercury).



September 12-13; 21-22, 2007
Kehillah in Hebrew Safe Medicine Disposal for the Jewish High Holydays
The Teleosis Institute collected about 40 pounds of unwanted medicines.



Saturday, October 13, 2007
Whole Foods Keep Our Water Clean: Pharmaceutical Take Back Campaign at Whole Foods
The Teleosis Institute collected over 30 pounds of unwanted medicines and 10 mercury thermometers.



Thursdsay, November 8, 2007
Sonoma Symposium Sonoma Symposium on Safe Medicine Disposal
The Teleosis Institute and Integrated Waste Control, Inc. collected about 20 pounds of unwanted medicines.





Donate

Donate
Support the Green Pharmacy Campaign and help keep drugs out of our water!
Location: 1521B Fifth Street Berkeley, CA 94710. Phone: 510.558.7285. Fax: 510.527.1682. E-mail: info@teleosis.org
© Copyright 2003 - 2007 Teleosis. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy