Woman reveals why you should stop throwing away old pill bottles: 'That's a great idea'

Even the best medicine can contribute to waste when pharmaceuticals are delivered in throwaway plastic containers. 

But you can give those durable bottles a second life while solving everyday problems around the house or while you travel. 

The scoop

Yolanda Templemon posted a clever Q-tip storage solution in the Facebook group Royal Caribbean Cruise Tips, Tricks, and Deals. 

"Use a spare medicine bottle," Templemon wrote in the post, which includes a photo of a container full of cotton swabs. 

It's advice that works while traveling by boat, plane, or car — or at home to declutter bathroom drawers. 

How it's helping

Stowing Q-tips away before you embark can be a money-saving move. A commenter said that they forgot to take swabs on a recent trip and spent $13 at a port store for a pack. 

"Thanks for sharing this tip," the person wrote. 

The reuse also prevents bottles from ending up in a landfill. The University of Pittsburgh reported that five billion prescriptions are filled each day in the U.S. That's why the University Pharmacy switched to biodegradable vials. 

New York's Cabinet Health, a company that makes reusable, plastic-free packaging, estimated that there are 194 billion orange medicine bottles made each year for the health care industry. 

When trashed, they contribute to the 25 million tons of plastic pollution that ends up in lakes, rivers, and streams. Most of it takes centuries to degrade, according to the United Nations. 

What do you currently do with your old pill and vitamin containers? Throw them away 🗑️ Recycle them ♻️ Use them for something new 🧠 Donate them to charity 🙏 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Worse yet, they break down into harmful microplastics in that time. Over time, microplastics have infiltrated people's bodies, and scientists are still studying how they are damaging human organs and health.

What everyone's saying

The Q-tip solution is among numerous, crafty ways to reuse the bottles. They can store cotton balls in the bathroom and even spices in the kitchen. They are also perfect containers for needles, buttons, glitter, and other tiny items in craft areas or toy rooms. 

"That's a great idea," one commenter said in response to the hack.

Other seemingly one-and-done product toters can be given a second life as well. A commenter on Templemon's post had a neat idea for Pringles cans that provides relief for motion sickness. 

"Along those lines, 1 sleeve of saltines fits into [a] Pringles tube," the person wrote. "Good for tummy onboard."

Other products like reusable water bottles and cloth bags can help you at least partially avoid plastic. While newer products might seem enticing, try using what you already have first before buying more.

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.