What to Do With Prescription Bottles? (recycle, plastic, buy, containers)

[diertac]

I have been holding on to the little amber prescription bottles I get with each medicine refill, but I just don't know what to do with them. Oh sure, to some extent they can hold little things like paperclips, etc. but when you amass 50 of them, they are still clutter.

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

[Gunluvver2]

I have a small metal & wood working shop in my two stall garage. I never throw away prescription bottles or plastic jars. The smaller plastic containers are great for holding screws, small nuts and bolts etc. The quart sized jars that Mayo, peanut butter and other condiments come in are great for storing larger items. Larger five gallon containers make great storage containers or even stools. Paint containers or containers that have hazardous materials in them are about the only things I dispose of, but even then at the appropriate hazardous recycler.

I spend a lot of time riding my motorcycle through neighborhoods on the day before trash day seeing what some people have at the curb waiting for the trash man to pick up. Usually the homeowner lets me pick and choose for free. Old washers and dryers are among my favorite acquisitions. Just about every one of them I have torn apart has a perfectly serviceable electric motor. In fact I haven't bought an electric motor in 30 years.

GL2

[jtur88]

I buy my spices and condiments at stores that sell them in bulk by the ounce, and they come in little plastic bags. I trransfer the spices to the pill bottls.

[Bail_Khan]

I've heard that people in jail will punch holes in the tops and use them as salt and pepper shakers.

[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

[stan4]

My mother uses them to transport spices.
I use them to take my pre-workout powder to work (mix it up there before I leave and then go directly to gym).
Sometimes I put my vitamins/other meds in them if I am going on vacation.

Since you have so many of them, maybe your friends and family would like some?

[cb at sea]

Throw them away! I'm pretty sure that everyone has a plethora of those pesky bottles--who wants more?

They only take up space--they don't pollute!

[AndrewMensch]

I heard that its best to mix old pills and other meds with coffee grinds and throw them out. Flushing them is bad for ground water

[kinkytoes]

Originally Posted by diertac

I have been holding on to the little amber prescription bottles I get with each medicine refill, but I just don't know what to do with them. Oh sure, to some extent they can hold little things like paperclips, etc. but when you amass 50 of them, they are still clutter.

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

Paint them gold or silver, and make Christmas ornaments. You can use crazy glue to attach twine to them or try to punch holes to attach the string. You can paint little santa-clauses, angels or christmas trees on the bottles if you're feeling creative

[shadowwalker]

I have a huge seed collection. Almost any kind, I plant,trade them. Most are Heirloom and I keep them stored in Pill bottles with the lables off. I use freezer tape to identify them. I store the bottles in those Popcorn tins that they sell at walmart. This is kinda of a double seal type thing. I have did this for over 28 years.
Yes after time your seeds do lose thier plantability but there is still some that will grow. And you only need one pollinated plant for your next seeds.