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Did you know that Americans use about 2.5 million pill bottles daily? And, of those, only about 23% are recycled.
While it’s essential to help protect our environment, is it possible to recycle Pill Bottles at Walgreens? Keep reading to find out everything worth knowing!
How to Recycle Pill Bottles Walgreens
Walgreens is one of the largest drug stores in the United States. They give many services such as health and wellness products, recycling for pill bottles, etc.
They take all types of pill bottles, including those made of plastic, glass, and metal. It is free and easy for customers to bring their pill bottles to any Walgreens store and drop them off at their counter. Since the program began, Walgreens has recycled millions of pill bottles. They are committed to decreasing their environmental impact and assisting to create a sustainable atmosphere in the future.
Tips For Recycling Your Pill Bottles At Walgreens
The Walgreens pharmacy chain offers prescription pill bottle recycling at all their locations. If you have prescription medication bottles that you need to recycle, bring them to your local Walgreens. Below are a few guidelines for recycling your pill bottles at Walgreens:
- Ensure the pill bottles are empty and clean before recycling them.
- Rinse the bottles out with water to remove any residue.
- Remove any labels or stickers from the pill bottles.
- Then wash the bottle with warm, soapy water.
- Rinse it well and let it air dry.
- Drop the pill bottles off at the pharmacy counter_they will take care of the rest!
The Benefits
1. Prevention of pollution: The average person in the United States uses about 24 lbs of plastic every year, most of which is in the form of packaging. This packaging is used for a short time and then often thrown away, ends in landfills where it stays for many years to decay. Recycling plastic bottles can help to reduce this pollution.
When these bottles are recycled, they are broken down and turned into new products. This process needs less energy than making a new one from scratch, and it also lessens the number of harmful chemicals.
2. Conservation of resources: Recycling pill bottles helps to conserve resources. It takes a lot of energy and water to make a new plastic bottle, and recycling just one pill bottle can save enough energy to power a 60-watt light bulb for 6 hours.
Hence, when pill bottles are recycled, they are turned into new bottles, which helps reduce the number of resources to produce new bottles. It’s important because it helps conserve natural resources and reduce pollution when making new bottles.
3. It reduces the amount of plastic in landfills: Americans use approximately 50 million plastic water bottles daily. While many of these are recycled, a good portion ends up in landfill and sit for centuries before decomposing. It isn’t good for the environment. Not only does it take up valuable space in landfills, but the decomposition process of plastic releases harmful chemicals into the air and ground.
Recycling pill bottles is one method that decreases the amount of plastic in landfills. Most pill bottles contain high-density polyethylene (HDPE), a type of plastic that is easy to recycle and used to make many different products, including detergent bottles, milk jugs, and cutting boards.
When HDPE is recycled, it can be made into new HDPE products or converted into products made of other plastics. So recycling these bottles helps reduces plastic waste in the environment and also conserves energy and resources.
4. It creates new jobs in the recycling industry: It is no secret that recycling can create new jobs in the recycling industry. As more and more people recycle their pill bottles, the demand for recycled materials will increase. This increase in demand will create more opportunities in the recycling center to meet the demand.
The recycling industry is good for the economy. So next time you finish using pill bottles, think about recycling them to help conserve resources. Your efforts will help to reduce pollution, save energy and water, and reduce waste around your locality.
The Alternatives To Recycling Pill Bottles
There are many alternatives to recycling pill bottles.
- Reuse the pill bottles: You can use pill bottles for storage or hold items such as beads, buttons, and safety pins. Be sure to label the bottles to know what is inside.
- Upcycle the pill bottle: You can also turn the bottles into a planter or a bird feeder. Some people choose to upcycle pill bottles instead of recycling them. Upcycling is when you reuse an item to create something new.
For example, pill bottles can serve as planters or storage containers. All you need to do is to drill a hole in the bottom of the bottle, add some drainage material, and then fill it with soil. It is a great way to recycle pill bottles and saves money on buying planters. Don’t forget to remove all labels and clean the bottles thoroughly.
Conclusion
In conclusion, recycling pill bottles at Walgreens is a perfect way to help the environment. Not only will you be reducing the amount of waste that goes into landfills, but you’ll also be helping to conserve resources. So whenever you have an empty pill bottle, don’t throw it away – recycle it at Walgreens!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it right to put pill bottles in the household trash bin?
No, it is not advisable to trash pill bottles in the household trash bins.
How do I know if I have pill bottles that need to be recycled?
You should check the bottle recycling symbol to know if your pill bottles need to be recycled.
What can I do to help promote Walgreens’ recycling program for pill bottles?
You can start by educating others via social media or word-of-mouth about the importance of recycling and waste reduction is a great way to help promote the program. It will increase the number of pill bottles recycled each year.
