Medical & Pharmaceuticals recycling
How to Recycle Pharmaceutical Bottles
Plastic prescription and over-the-counter medication bottles, typically made from HDPE or PET plastic. Americans discard 194 billion medication bottles annually, creating significant plastic waste. While the bottles themselves are recyclable plastic, privacy concerns and medication residues complicate recycling. Some pharmacies offer bottle take-back programs for safe disposal and recycling.
Recyclable$0.02-0.05 per pound for clean medication bottle plastic
Quick answer
Yes, pharmaceutical bottles is recyclable. First step: Remove all medication residues by rinsing thoroughly with water. Where to take it: Pharmacy take-back programs (CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid).
- Recyclable
- Yes
- Typical value
- $0.02-0.05 per pound for clean medication bottle plastic
- Donate / take-back
- Available
How to Prepare
- 1Remove all medication residues by rinsing thoroughly with water
- 2Remove or completely black out all personal information on labels