Over 64% of Americans take one or more prescription drugs. From antibiotics to antidepressants, 4.7 billion prescriptions were dispensed in 2022. That’s a lot of heavy-duty plastic to deal with. Pill containers are usually made of No. 5 plastic, which is what yogurt containers and many reusable food-safe containers are made of. You can tell if you have No. 5 plastic by looking at the bottom of the container for the recycle symbol with the number 5 in the middle. These common plastics are great because they’re lightweight, strong, can deal with a wide arrange of temperatures, and they keep the contents inside dry. Unfortunately, they also take years to break down in the environment, which is why you might want to look into repurposing them. Here are just a few uses for your used pill bottles.
- 1. Child-proof Container — Fill them with things you don’t want kids to get into, including razor blades, thumb tacks, supplements, or even your secret stash of M&Ms for your glove compartment.
- 2. Seed Storage — If you're a gardener, these containers make great, moisture-proof storage containers so your dried seeds can overwinter in a place where they won't be likely to rot.
- 3. Hair Accessory Storage — Bobby pins, barrettes and hair ties are things that tend to get scattered all around your house, your car and your handbag and are exactly the right size for a pill bottle.
- 4. Cash Holder — Pill bottles are discreet and tinted, which makes them perfect for change or even a rolled-up wad of cash.
- 5. Hide-a-Key — The key to your front door will fit in a prescription bottle hidden in nooks and crannies around the outside of your house.
- 6. Q-Tip Holder — Cotton swabs miraculously fit perfectly into a prescription pill bottle.
- 7. Travel Jewelry Holder — Got earrings, necklaces and rings to keep track of on your vacation? Your old prescription bottles work perfectly to keep all your jewels in one place.
- 8. Earbud Container — Whether they're wireless or have a cord that will inevitably get tangled in your bag, earbuds need to stay tidy and paired. A prescription pill bottle is the perfect little container to keep them dry, organized and together.
