Pill Bottle Disposal & Recycling
Secure and Responsible Pill Bottle Recycling Services
Each year an estimated 4 billion prescriptions are filled in the US. While there are plenty of other plastics being used by Americans, the problem with standard orange prescription bottles is you can’t recycle pill bottles by the curbside services that stop by each week. This is due to the type of plastic they’re made from. Despite that though, limited resin code acceptance for curbside recyclers might mean you can’t throw bottles in your recycling materials. However, it doesn’t mean your prescription pill bottles still can’t be recycled. You can recycle pill bottles safely through one of our service providers.
Medical Waste Pros is dedicated to providing a sustainable and eco-friendly solution for the responsible disposal of pill bottles. As a leader in pharmaceutical waste management, we recognize the environmental impact of discarded pill bottles and are committed to mitigating that impact through recycling.
Our pill bottle recycling service offers a convenient and secure way for individuals, healthcare facilities, and pharmacies to recycle empty pill bottles, ensuring that these containers are repurposed rather than contributing to unnecessary waste.
Our Pill Bottle Recycling and Other Pharmaceutical Waste Services
Mail-Back Pill Bottle Recycling
Fill a box with your empty pill bottles, go to Ship N Shred’s website to follow the ordering instructions, and schedule a pickup from FedEx. Your pill bottles will be picked up and taken to a secure facility for safe disposal and recycling. With this service, you can track the process from start to finish.
Hazardous Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal
Schedule a one-time pickup or schedule recurring services for your hazardous pharmaceutical waste. You can schedule regular pickups based on your needs, whether it’s daily, monthly, or quarterly.
Medication Drop-Off
For someone with a few leftover pills, the best option for disposal will likely be a local drop-off site. The DEA maintains a list of approved disposal sites across the country, where you can get rid of any leftover controlled substances around your house.
Which Service is Right For You?
Use our FREE Medical Waste Wizard to find the right document scanning or records storage service for your project.
Why Choose Medical Waste Pros
Fast Turnaround
Get matched to a partner in 3-5 minutes. They will work with you to get a quote based on your specifications.
Nationwide Coverage
We have partners all over the United States.
Partnered with the Best
We have partners nationwide providing you with the best, secure options in your area.
Contact us for a free quote today!
Reach out to our team today to discuss medical waste management solutions. We're here to explore your options and guide you to the perfect service for your needs.
The Problem With Personally Recycling Pill Bottles
While personally recycling pill bottles at home may seem like a responsible way to handle them, there are a few potential challenges and considerations:
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Label and residue removal: Before recycling pill bottles, it’s important to remove labels and clean out any medication residue. Some labels may be difficult to remove, and residue can contaminate recycling streams. This additional step may be time-consuming and can be a barrier for individuals.
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Limited recycling capabilities: Household recycling facilities may not have the capability to process certain types of plastics or small, irregularly shaped items like pill bottles. This can result in the bottles being rejected or improperly sorted, leading to contamination in the recycling stream.
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Mixed-material components: Some pill bottles have mixed-material components, such as a combination of plastic and metal elements, making them challenging to recycle at home without proper equipment.
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Local recycling guidelines: Recycling guidelines vary by location, and what is accepted in one area may not be accepted in another. It’s crucial to be aware of local recycling guidelines to ensure that personal recycling efforts align with the accepted materials in your community.
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Waste reduction hierarchy: While recycling is essential, it’s generally considered lower on the waste reduction hierarchy compared to reduce and reuse. Before recycling, consider whether there are ways to reduce the use of pill bottles or reuse them for other purposes.
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Environmental impact of medication disposal: It’s essential to dispose of medications properly to avoid environmental contamination. Some medications should not be flushed down the toilet or thrown in the trash. Properly dispose of hazardous medications through Medical Waste Pros.
How Pill Bottle Recycling Services Work
- Gather your pill bottles to be recycled and put them in a sturdy box.
- Go to Ship N Shred’s website and specify where you will be shipping from and what type of material and number of boxes you have.
- Print the Ship N Shred FedEx label(s) for your box(es)and schedule a FedEx pickup.
- Once FedEx comes to pick up your box(es), you can track the process at any time.
- Once your pill bottles are destroyed and recycled, you will receive a certificate of destruction in your email to verify the process.
Why Pill Bottle Recycling is Important
Keep Your PHI Secure
Prescription labels contain sensitive PHI that, like any other type of sensitive personal information, can be misused. This potentially leads to things like identity theft. You must remove any possibility for your information to be stolen or lost before recycling your pill bottles.
Environmental Conservation
Recycling pill bottles reduces the demand for new plastic production, conserving valuable natural resources and energy. This contributes to the overall effort to minimize the environmental impact of plastic waste.
Energy Savings
The recycling process generally requires less energy than producing new plastic from raw materials. Recycling pill bottles helps conserve energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with the manufacturing of plastics.
Reduced Plastic Pollution
Discarded plastic, including pill bottles, contributes to plastic pollution in oceans and waterways. Recycling helps mitigate this issue by preventing these containers from entering water systems and harming marine life.
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Reach out to our team today to discuss medical waste management solutions. We're here to explore your options and guide you to the perfect service for your needs.
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Pill Bottle Recycling FAQs
What is a certificate of destruction?
A certificate of destruction is a formal document that provides details about the recycling of your pill bottles and ensures the recycling process complies with all state and federal security laws. It includes details such as the transaction number, chain of custody, terms and conditions, collection date, location of the recycling, and more.
Is Ship N Shred secure?
Yes, Ship N Shred is secure. All of our pill bottle recycling service providers follow all state and federal regulations when it comes to pill bottle recycling and data privacy. In addition, the certificate of destruction you receive will verify that the process was done in collaboration with these laws as well.
What if I have expired medication still in my bottle?
You can check out the FDA’s Flush List to see which medications are okay to flush that won’t harm the environment. However, some pharmaceuticals are considered hazardous and can’t be flushed. These include:
- Chemotherapy Drugs
- Warfarin and Other Anticoagulants
- Nicotine Replacement Therapies
- Certain Antibiotics and Antimicrobials
- Certain Hazardous Chemicals:
- Narcotics and Controlled Substances
- Hormones and Steroids
If you have any of the above left in your pill bottles, you will need to find a drop-off location or take-back program in your area. If you have a larger amount of expired medication, you can use another pharmaceutical waste disposal service through us.
How do I keep my healthcare facility in compliance with pharmaceutical waste regulations?
To remain in compliance, you need to be vigilant- there are several telltale signs that your organization might be at risk for improperly disposing of pharmaceuticals.
- If you ask employees about the details of your pharmaceutical disposal program, would they be able to tell you? The most common violation is improper or inefficient training, which leads to mislabeling or mishandling.
- Are you disposing of unused liquid or any other pharmaceuticals by flushing them down the drain (also known as sewering)? Knowingly dumping hazardous waste can result in jail time!
- Have you been diligent in ensuring that pharmaceuticals listed by RCRA aren’t being mixed with other nonhazardous materials? One violation can lead to heavy fines.
- Do you have an emergency contingency plan in place? What happens if disaster strikes?
What other types of medical waste do you handle?
Medical Waste Pros can handle a variety of medical waste across different industries, including:
How much does a medical waste disposal service cost?
The price of your medical waste disposal service will depend on the method you choose, the type of waste you have, the amount of waste you have, and other factors. When you contact us with the details of your project, our service providers will send you accurate price quotes for your specific needs.
Does Medical Waste Pros use safe medical waste disposal methods?
Yes, all of our service providers follow all state and federal regulations when it comes to disposing of medical waste. They use methods such as autoclaving, chemical treatments, and EPA-approved incineration.
Can I just throw my medical waste away?
No, you can’t throw away medical waste. There are state and federal laws, including OSHA, FDA, DOT, and the EPA, that regulate how to dispose of medical waste. These regulations were put in place for your safety, in terms of the environment and health effects of improper disposal.
Contact us for a free quote today!
Reach out to our team today to discuss medical waste management solutions. We're here to explore your options and guide you to the perfect service for your needs.
