How to recycle medicine bottles

Did you know that your prescription bottles can be recycled? If you didn’t, we’re here to make up for it today.

Pill bottles are recyclable if certain conditions are met prior to placing them in your recycling container. It should also be mentioned that not all cities accept pill bottles as part of their plastic recycling program. A decent rule of thumb is to contact your recycling company and inquire whether they accept them. You may also find out if they accept pickup or dropoff. Most prescription drug bottles are composed of No. 5 plastic, also known as polypropylene, which is a recyclable plastic.

Others may be made of various plastics, though the vast majority of these plastics are acceptable by recycling companies. Still, it’s worth checking first to see if they accept that number through household recycling.

How to recycle pill bottles:

When the pill bottle is totally empty, take off or cover out the label in some way. Peeling it off is preferable since it ensures that no additional paper enters the recycling system when the plastic arrives at the recycling facility. Also, we recommend checking your recycling company website to see if bottle tops are recyclable. Some companies prefer that bottle caps be left on, while others prefer that the caps be thrown in the bin separately from the bottles, and still others want bottle caps to be thrown in the garbage before recycling bottles.

Repurposing old bottles

You can use them for whatever you want as long as you wash them first! The bottles can always be used for spices or jewellery. The only limitation is your imagination.