How to Dispose of Pill Bottles

Disposing of pill bottles can be tricky because they may contain personal information. Prescription drugs have your name, address, date of birth, doctor's name and medication type listed right on the label. If this information gets in the wrong hands, it can lead to identity theft. The plastic itself can be thrown away with any regular trash, but protecting your personal information is key. There are several ways to handle pill bottles when you dispose of them.

Things You'll Need

• Black permanent marker
• Warm water
• Credit card, spatula or putty knife
• Sticker
• Trash can

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Instructions

• 1

  Scribble over your personal information with a black permanent marker; this will obliterate your name on the label. Eliminating your name, medication type and doctor's name will lessen the risk of identify theft.

• 2

  Cover the label on pill bottles with a sticker if you don't want to scribble out the information. Use one that is large enough to cover your personal information.

• 3

  Let the water run from a faucet, filling a sink with hot water. Put the pill bottles in there to soak. This will loosen the adhesive on the label, making it easier to remove. Leave the bottles in the water for about 10 minutes.

• 4

  Take the bottles out of the water and drain the sink. Use something with a hard edge to scrape off the sticker. A putty knife, metal spatula or side of a credit card will work.

• 5

  Tear the labels into strips or pieces to protect your information even more. Dispose of the pieces in the trash, as well as the pill bottles. They can be thrown away with other garbage.

• 6

  Bring prescriptions to a collection event. Hospitals and recycling centers in your community may hold a collection day as a way to safely dispose of medications. They will black out or remove your information from the bottles and dispose of them in the trash.