Trash & Recycling

Needles & Sharps Disposal

It is unlawful to put medical sharps such as hypodermic needles, lancets, pen needles, etc. into curbside collection recycle or trash containers.

The police department coordinates with the DEA twice a year to collect medications. Medications CANNOT be accepted by the fire department, please refer to the medications/pharmaceuticals page for information on disposal of unwanted/expired medications or medical equipment.

Quick Links

• NEW! Safe Free Sharps Disposal Flyer
• Business-Generated Sharps
• Sharps Program Disposal Locations (Residential)
• Approved Sharps Containers
• Alternative Sharps Disposal Locations (Residential)
• Riverside County Needles/Sharps Fact Sheet

Business-Generated Sharps

Needles and sharp waste that is generated at a place of business, or as a result of a service provided by a business, must be properly disposed of by the business that generated or collected the waste.

Businesses such as hospitals, clinics, and other smaller businesses generating sharps should contact the California Department of Public Health’s Medical Waste Management Program for information on how to manage that waste under California’s Medical Waste Management Act.

Businesses generating small amounts of sharps waste may find mail-back services to be most cost-effective compared to contracting with an authorized medical waste transporter. Otherwise, you can also contact your city or county household hazardous waste (HHW) facility to see if they accept conditionally exempt small quantity generator (CESQG) waste (i.e., small business waste) for a fee.

California Department of Public Health
Medical Waste Management Program
P.O. Box 997377, MS 7405
Sacramento, CA 95899-7377

Inquiries to the MWMP may be sent via e-mail to: MedWasteInfo@cdph.ca.gov

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Sharps Collection Locations (Residential)

Location	Address	Collection Times
Downtown Fire Station # 1	3401 University Ave. Riverside, CA 92501	8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday-Sunday
Arlington Fire Station # 2	9449 Andrew St. Riverside, CA 92503	8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday-Sunday
Magnolia Fire Station # 3	6395 Riverside Ave. Riverside, CA 92503	8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday-Sunday

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Approved Containers

City of Riverside residents may dispose of sharps at any one of the sharps program collection locations as long as their sharps are within an appropriate sealed container.

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Alternative Disposal Locations (Residential)

Location	Address	Collection Times
Riverside County Hazardous Waste Facility	1780 Agua Mansa Road Riverside, CA 92509	9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Every Non-Holiday Saturday

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