Most pill bottles can't be recycled with the rest of your trash, so a YouTuber shared some ways to dispose of them sustainably.
The scoop
A staggering 194 billion medication bottles are produced each year, and with few recycling options, these single-use plastics often end up in landfills.
In hopes of reducing waste, environmentalist Emma Dendler (@TheSimpleEnvironmentalist) posted a YouTube Short sharing the ways she disposes of her pill bottles.
"There are so many different organizations that will take them," Dendler explained. She noted that churches, homelessness charities, and animal shelters are often open to accepting donations of medicine containers.
Reusing the bottles on a mass scale is unfortunately not an option, as pharmaceutical companies haven't made this possible. However, smaller organizations in need of containers may be able to clean out the bottles and repurpose them.
To remove the personal information on the bottles, Dendler soaks them in room-temperature water and quickly scrapes the labels off. She leaves them to dry before they are ready to donate.
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How it's helping
Many organizations are strapped for cash and can use all the donations they can get. Donating pill bottles helps prevent them from being wasted when they can still be used.
Donating items to local charities can increase your connection with your community while you're helping others.
However, you might find that the bottles can also come in handy in your own life. From propagating plants, repurposing the tubs into seed containers, or even pin cushions, there are a bunch of ways to give your pill bottles a second life.
Reducing waste can prevent overcrowding in landfill sites and protect our oceans and waterways from plastic pollution.
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Should we be making prescription bottles out of paper?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
It's about time! ✅ While it is possible to find reusable solutions for pill bottles, it should be noted that the manufacturers of the containers should be doing more to make them easier to recycle and reuse on a much larger scale.
What everyone's saying
"I love my leftover bottles," one YouTube user remarked. "I fill them with dried herbs from my garden, add a cute label, and gift for Christmas."
Another commenter added: "I saw people tie 6 together and use them to make popsicles in the summer."
Someone else jumped in with additional information, sharing: "Most pharmacies will actually take them back. The CVS near me actually has a drop bin for them."
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