California state law prohibits placing needles in the garbage. It is illegal to place needles or syringes (called "sharps") in containers used for collection of solid waste, recyclables, or greenwaste.

The Lake County Public Services Department introduced a Sharps Disposal-by-Mail program in January 2007. The Disposal-by-Mail containers are available at all Lake County pharmacies for a $5 co-pay.

The Solid Waste Division of the Public Services Department pays the balance of the actual cost of the containers ($16.16). The cost of shipping and destruction, including confirmation of destruction, is included in the total cost of $21.16.

The disposal-by-mail system includes a plastic sharps container, a protective liner for shipping and a United States Post Office-approved box with prepaid postage. Once the sharps container is full, it is placed in the box and dropped off at the post office for shipping to a special disposal facility.

It’s estimated that approximately 500,000 sharps are generated in Lake County each year by medical patients who must inject medicines outside of the healthcare setting. Until recently, almost all of these sharps wound up in the solid waste stream.

Improperly disposed sharps are frequently found in recyclable beverage containers as they’re compacted for shipment, public trash receptacles, and along the edge of detention ponds at wastewater treatment facilities. Sharps are capable of transmitting diseases such as hepatitis and HIV, thereby representing a significant threat to the health and safety of workers.

If you’d like more information about Lake County’s Sharps Disposal-by-Mail Program, please talk to your pharmacist or call 263-1980.

Participating Pharmacies

Clearlake
Lake Pharmacy
15230 Lakeshore Drive

Moran’s Pharmacy
14855 Lakeshore Drive

Rite Aid
14804 Olympic Drive

Kelseyville
Kelseyville Pharmacy
3924 Main Street

Lakeport
CVS Pharmacy
949 11th Street

K-Mart
2019 S. Main Street

North Lake Pharmacy
347 Lakeport Boulevard

North Lake Pharmacy
Sutter-Lakeside Hospital
5136 Hill Road

Safeway
1071 11th Street

Lucerne
Lucerne Pharmacy
6140 E. Highway 20

Middletown
Middletown Pharmacy
3924 Main Street