What to Do With Prescription Bottles? (environmental, Maine, New York, Buffalo)

[Gunluvver2]

I just discovered a great use for prescription bottles that hasn't been mentioned on this thread. After our Christmas dinner we break out the SCRABBLE set. One of my sisters is notoriously slow in picking out words. She usually takes five minutes or more to sort through her letters to score the highest points. Some of us have a difficult time staying awake when it is her turn, you know how it is with all the turkey and the fixins settling down in the old tummy. We have considered getting one of those three minute egg timers but they cost over five dollars and everybody is too cheap to spring for one. I came up with the ideal solution. Several of my small pill bottles have a childproof cap that you can flip over to turn into a conventional threaded bottle. I took two of these bottles and one cap with a 1/4" hole drilled in the top. I then filled one of the bottles with table salt. When the lid is put on one of the bottles the other bottle can be screwed onto it in the other threads. I fiddled with the amount of salt in the bottle and adjusted the amount until it consistently too ONE minute for the salt to run from one to the other. Less than two cents of salt and the trash bottles and viola!, a great timer.

GL2

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by diertac

They aren't recyclable in my area. What can I do with them?

Throw them in the garbage. Unless you need scores of salt and pepper shakers and spice bottles.

[B'ichela]

Originally Posted by shadowwalker

My dad one day asked the pharmacist if they could use his old bottles again. They said yes, he takes his empty bottles down when he gets the refill. They put a new lable over the old one and fill it up again with the exact pills it had in it. He usually gets new bottles once or twice a year. Everybody wins

Good idea! You can even take the lables off. I am sure your pharmacist would love to reuse them for others perscriptions. I will ask my local Beacon Pharmacy if they want the empty ones back sans lables.

[christina0001]

Try posting them on your local freecycle or craigslist website. Someone else might be able to use them.

[plaidmom]

Acrylic painters like small, airtight containers for left-over paint (hard to get that suff back in the tube! ).

When I was in school we would use our old film canisters....now that everyone has gone digital...

You might want to contact you local art league or college or HS art teacher and see if they have students who could use them.

[Gerania]

A friend of mine who does beading never has enough small containers. They'd be perfect for that. Save them till you have a decent quantity and, as someone suggested, offer them on Freecycle with a suggested use.

[GloryB]

Originally Posted by shadowwalker

My dad one day asked the pharmacist if they could use his old bottles again. They said yes, he takes his empty bottles down when he gets the refill. They put a new lable over the old one and fill it up again with the exact pills it had in it. He usually gets new bottles once or twice a year. Everybody wins

This is what my parents do now that they are older and ended up with a lot of prescription bottles. Here is a great link on the subject with specific instructions:
Pharm-Ecological Services Company

[Maine Writer]

Originally Posted by Irishtom29

Throw them in the garbage. Unless you need scores of salt and pepper shakers and spice bottles.

How is throwing them away green?

[B'ichela]

Originally Posted by Maine Writer

How is throwing them away green?

Unless one is throwing them into their recycling bin.. I think those are PP plastic or possibly PETE. does anyone know the numbers Connecticut recycles 1 and 2. soda bottles are PETE and tose go back for the refund on deposit.

[TN Tin Man]

To amuse the children / grandchildren take an old plastic prescription bottle with a "snap on" type lid. "DO NOT USE A SCREW ON TYPE" place a tea spoon full of baking soda in the bottle, now add a little yellow vinegar 6-8 drops. Snap the top on "Quickly"!!!! now sit back..... and watch what happens. This will get the little ones attention...... Also after the top goes pop ! Light a wooden match and hold it over the container and see what happens.......... adults only please.....