How to Recycle Blister Packs
Small plastic-and-foil pill packs and molded retail blister packaging require different handling from bottles and ordinary rigid containers.
Quick answer
Most pill blister packs cannot go in curbside recycling because plastic is bonded to foil and the pieces are small. Keep medicines separate and use a program that explicitly accepts empty blister packs; otherwise use your local trash route. Before you go, confirm that a local recycling center accepts the material in its current condition.
- Recycling route
- Special handling
How to Prepare
- 1Remove all pills; return unwanted medicines through a drug take-back program
- 2Separate a clean paperboard backing if it comes off easily and recycle that only where accepted
- 3Check pharmacies or specialty programs for empty blister-pack collection
- 4Do not put loose blister cards into a bottle to make them appear curbside recyclable
Where to Recycle
- Pharmacy or specialty collection explicitly listing empty blister packs
- Drug take-back sites for unused medication, not packaging
- Household trash for empty packs when no packaging program accepts them
Special Instructions
Rigid, single-material retail clamshells are different from foil-backed medicine blisters. Some communities accept the former but exclude the latter. Never mail medication or medical waste to a packaging-only program.
Environmental Impact
Mixed layers and small size make ordinary sorting ineffective. Separating unused medicine from its package also prevents pharmaceuticals from entering a packaging-recycling stream.
Official guidance and resources
Accepted items and drop-off rules can vary by location. Check the destination before you go.
What’s Accepted
Accepted
- Empty, dry blister packs in a program that names them
- Clean removable paperboard backings where paper recycling accepts them
Not Accepted
- Blister packs with pills still inside
- Foil-backed packs in curbside recycling unless specifically listed
FAQs
Can I recycle the foil and plastic together?
Usually not through curbside collection. Use a collection program that explicitly accepts the combined pack.
What if the pack still has pills in it?
Take the unwanted medication to a drug take-back program first and ask that program whether it accepts the packaging too.
Related recycling guides
- How to recycle Bottle Caps & Lids
- How to recycle Toothpaste Tubes
- How to recycle Corrugated Cardboard Boxes
- How to recycle Multi-Layer Food Pouches
- How to recycle Aseptic Cartons (Tetra Pak)
- How to recycle Paper Cups
- How to recycle Padded Mailers (Paper)
- How to recycle Chip Bags & Snack Wrappers
- How to recycle Bubble Mailers (Plastic)
- How to recycle Plastic Clamshell Containers
Recycle blister packs
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