About 194 billion plastic pill bottles are produced every year, according to Cabinet Health. While they serve the very important purpose of storing medication that can be life-saving, unfortunately, they are usually not recyclable.
When people finish their medication, they're left with the question of what to do with the leftover bottles.
One Reddit user provided the ultimate tip that got others talking: "Donate your pill bottles!"
The scoop
For many Americans, orange pill bottles pile up quickly. A Reddit thread shared simple, smart ways to reuse and donate empty pill bottles that save time, money, and plastic waste in the process.
The original poster said, "I've been on medication for years so I'm running out of camping, art, and sewing supplies to keep in those empty pill bottles."
But they also discovered an unexpected solution: Pill bottles can be donated to international aid organizations.
How it's helping
As David Cornell, technical director of the Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers, told Consumer Reports, small bottles can slip through sorting screens and get mistaken for debris. Before placing pill bottles in curbside bins, it's best to check local recycling rules or consult a recycling guide.
Oftentimes, when people aren't sure if things can be recycled, they "wishcycle," which leads their item to be thrown away when it could have been repurposed.
Pill bottle donation programs, like the one shared, help improve medical care in developing countries and keep pill bottles from crowding landfills or polluting the ocean. To donate, the bottles should be sorted by color, washed, and free of any labels.
What everyone's saying
One user remarked, "I didn't know any of this was a thing. I've used old bottles for screws/hardware & mini first-aid kits, but I love the idea of people getting more actual use from them."
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Giving me money back 💰 Another chimed in with some practical uses, saying, "Local gardeners like them for storing seeds. Preschools like them for percussion toys and to hold paint/glue."
"Fill a few with quarters and put them in your car for the car wash, tire fill etc," a third added.
"I think Walgreens takes them to recycle," someone else observed.
The (re)users on this thread definitely know how to turn someone's trash into another's treasure. The tips they shared for repurposing pill bottles can help people stay organized, save money on containers, and reduce clutter.
Whether donating pill bottles or giving them a new life, one thing remains clear: Something as small as a pill bottle can have a big impact.
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