Recycling for Charity: medicine, pill and vitamin bottles

This page lists charities and other organisations collecting empty plastic pill, vitamin and medicine bottles.

If any details are incorrect or you know of any other groups collecting them, please leave a comment below and I’ll update the listings.

Who wants it Why Country Contact details
No one at the moment If you’re a charity or organisation that collects old medicine or pill bottles, please leave your details below.

 

391 Responses to “Recycling for Charity: medicine, pill and vitamin bottles”


  1. Margaret says:

    I have been throwing away my rx bottles and wonder if there is a place in Kentucky where I can send them or some other place. I could get those in my family and also at Church to start saving them if there is a place to send them. Please let me know if anyone knows of a place. Thanks

  2. Marc Salisbury says:

    Please if you have pill bottles to donate, check with the local medical clinics in your area. Free clinics, social welfare clinics, whatever clinics are around you that assist with medical needs for the poor, they are usually always in need of used med bottles as it helps with their budgets. New pill bottles are actually not very cheap to buy wholesale, and some places need every last penny they have to secure the meds that they dispense. Some clinics even accept donations of leftover meds that are not expired and are non narcotic. But if you can’t find a clinic in your area that wants them you can send them to me and I will gladly donate them to my local Social Welfare Clinic with my empties, as they truly appreciate the donations. My email is officer1044@yahoo.com if you have any questions or wish for my mailing address. Thanks.

  3. Genise says:

    Hi. I live in Fairfax, Virginia. Is there any places NEAR me where I can drop off empty and cleaned pill bottles?

  4. lee says:

    is there an email for deirdre at amvets? wanting to make sure this is still current before i go shipping my family’s hoard of empty pill bottles.

    • Anonymous says:

      I would like an email address or even better a phone number for Deirdre. I have a school that wants to collect medicine bottles to donate to empoverished countries but I’m not sending all the bottles if they are not accepting them.

      • Lori.wharton@vbschools.com says:

        I need an address to send RX bottles for the needy

      • Ann Lunceford says:

        Hi
        If you find someone or an organization that still wants empty pill boxes please let me know

        Ann

  5. Lydia says:

    Can we still recycle medicine/prescription bottles (with the labels removed!). Before I do that, I want to know if AMVETS (listed here)is still taking them. Thanks!

  6. Cindy M says:

    No, AMVETS Post 208 is NOT collecting pill bottles. I received an email from a Leon Proctor with MA AMVETS and he said NO.

  7. Rick says:

    The organization that was collecting pill bottles didn’t realize the power of the web…They ended up with truckloads of empty pill bottles…Many people are still saving them…If you want to get rid of them…Pill bottles are recyclable, You should put them in your recycle bin and not with regular trash. If your community doesn’t recycle, Find somewhere local that will take them.

  8. Abby Loza says:

    We NEED empty prescription bottle so badly, we would take a truck load! We use these to take large portions of toiletries and decent them into smaller amounts to help more people in need. Please if you are in Arizona – send your bottles our way! http://www.icmaz.org

  9. Fran says:

    Many local recycling programs do not accept 5-plastics. The 5 is in a triangular shape, usually on the bottom of the container. If your recycling program doesn’t accept 5’s, try the bin at Whole Foods. For pills, some veterinarians accept them but I have not met with success in this area. Don’t throw the 5’s away in the garbage – there are drop off sites available. Be kind to the earth. Repair, reuse, recycle. Thank you.

  10. Melissa says:

    I just received a message stating that this information IS still current. AMVET Ladies Auxiliary is still taking used medication bottles. I had previously contacted them and was told that they were no longer doing it, but I think it was a miscommunication since it’s just the Ladies Auxiliary doing it.

  11. GM says:

    Is there a place to drop off the bottles I am in Queen NY
    thanks

  12. Jan Gardner says:

    I have prescription bottles that I would like to donate. Please tell me the address where they can be sent. Thank you.

  13. Nancy says:

    Are you still collecting pill bottles? I have a box of them from our senior center.

    sarasin48@gmail.com

    Thanks!

  14. Margaret Barbee says:

    The missionaries at my church, Johnston Piney Grove Missionary Baptist Church, have been collecting medicine bottles with the intent to donate. We will mail the bottles if you can provide an address. Please advise.

  15. Beverly says:

    I have a grocery bag of empty prescription bottles of various sizes that I would prefer to donate if possible. If there are any organizations out there that can use these, please let me know.
    Thank you!

  16. Kristin says:

    They are still collecting the prescription bottles and will continue to do so until further notice. They will be putting the information on the AMVET Facebook page.

  17. Vickie says:

    I do have many empty medicine bottles I am with the American Legion Auxiliary we have been collecting them for the 4 months where can I send them ? You can email me at vgimla@yahoo .com we are in Florence , S.C.

    • Anonymous says:

      The Malawi Project

      You mail them to Indianapolis, IN and they take them to Malawi in southeast Africa.

      Mail to:
      The Malawi Project
      3314 Van Tassel Dr.
      Indianapolis, IN 46240

      Hope this helps!

      • Paula says:

        The Malawi Project is NO LONGER ACCEPTING EMPTY PILL BOTTLES. They received over a million bottles and decided to stop asking for them.

      • Anonymous says:

        Malawi Project says they don’t want any more

      • Anonymous says:

        Thanks to an unimaginable outpouring of support the Malawi Project received over 2 1/2 million pill containers. This program ended on December 31, 2015 and the Project is no longer accepting, processing or shipping pill containers to Africa.

        Attention has been turned to provided funds for famine relief as the nation is experiencing a severe famine. More details at: http://www.malawiproject.org

      • Anonymous says:

        I just sent some there a few weeks ago and received a notification that they are not collecting them anymore.

      • Anonymous says:

        They are no longer accepting them!

  18. Norma walker says:

    Peel the labels off and send your pill bottles to an international outreach program, such as Matthew 25: Ministries or Samaritan’s Purse (the latter of whom are looking for everything from hospital gowns to lightly used defibrillators, in addition to medicine bottles).
    Contact an animal hospital or ASPCA near you to see if they could use some pill bottles stock for pet medicines. (And remind me to tell you that story sometime about my chinchilla’s morphine addiction.)
    Reach out to your local community health center or homeless shelter to find out if they’re accepting donations. Because as cool as it is to think of your used medicine bottles making a difference all the way across the world, you might have neighbors who could use the help as well.

  19. Beverly Callahan says:

    I have been saving prescription bottles for a few months since I saw an article on Facebook. I live in Los Angeles, CA. is there a place here where I can donate them, if not where can I send them?

  20. Kelly Roberts says:

    Is there some place to drop off empty pill boat in Smithfield NC if so please let me know thank you Kelly t

  21. Shaila says:

    Our Junior Girl Scout troop started collecting Pill Bottles for Malawi Project and I just came to know that they will not be needing them!
    We are troop from North VA, where is the best place to drop off for AMVETS or other organizations that of use of empty pill bottles.
    thanks
    Shaila G

  22. Mary Hurley says:

    we need pill bottles for a rund raiser

  23. Squid Squid says:

    I just dropped off all my medicine bottles and #5 plastics at Whole Foods (bins are by the door, usually). It may not help a charity but it helps the environment. It’s an option…

    • lynn jensen says:

      What Whole Foods — I use the one in St. Paul, MN — Whole Foods, I believe, then sends them on to a recycling facility in Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana (I think it’s Indiana) — Mrs. Lynn Jensen, North St. Paul, MN

  24. Deb White says:

    I have a box of empty prescription bottles, some with safety lids, some not. I had originally started saving them to send to Malawi, but as we’ve all found out, they no longer need them. If you need mine or know of some place that does, please contact me. My email addy is backcreekvalleyyorkies@hotmail.com Be very careful with the spelling or better yet, copy & paste. Thanks!
    Deb W in WV

  25. We have been saving empty pill bottles to send to the Malawi Project and would like to send them to you. Could you provide us your address? Thank you very much.

    • Beverly says:

      Hello, I just read that the Malawi Project no longer wants empty pill bottles. Is there anywhere else I can send my bottles?

  26. lynn jensen says:

    Hi, Mary — what kind of fundraiser — I have a super amount of the all orange clean prescription bottles that I was going to drop of at our Whole Foods in St. Paul, MN — if your cause can use them, please tell me how many you need and where to send them — I’m guessing 200 – 300 bottles — Mrs. Lynn Jensen, North St. Paul, MN

    • Anonymous says:

      Hi I could definitely use empty medicene bottles. I make up fishing kits, sewing kits for operation Christmas child to be packed in shoeboxes. We also make tic tac toe games and put in boxes. If you still have them I would appreciate receiving them.
      Angie

      I can send u my address if u still have them
      Thank you

      • Kristine Graham says:

        I have a small box of medication bottles that I would love to donate. Are you still in need? Let me know and I’ll mail them. Thanks, tina @grahamafone@sbcglobal.net

    • Linda says:

      Angie, if you still need empty bottles for Operation Christmas Child, please email me at boscojane925@gmail.com THANK YOU

    • Angela says:

      Anonymous says:

      June 15, 2016 at 10:09 pm
      I would like to get in touch with the person who posted the information about needing pill bottles for fishing and sewing kits for Operation Christmas Child. I have pill bottles I can send you if you can send me your information. My e-mail address is anjalina@cox.net.

      “Hi I could definitely use empty medicene bottles. I make up fishing kits, sewing kits for operation Christmas child to be packed in shoeboxes. We also make tic tac toe games and put in boxes. If you still have them I would appreciate receiving them.
      Angie

      I can send u my address if u still have them
      Thank you
      Angie”

  27. marilyn newsham says:

    I have a collection of prescription bottles and want to know if you can use them.

  28. Gail Dumblauskas says:

    I have a large box of prescription bottles I planned to send to the Malawi Project. I just learned they are not accepting them any more. Does anyone know where I can bring or send them? I live near Richmond, VA

  29. Michelle says:

    Typically pharmacies will take the bottles back. I’m not sure if they recycle them or sterilize and re-use, but it’s worth asking. In some municipal recycling programs the little bottles and lids are too small and can’t be baled up with the other plastics so just fall through and go to the garbage.

  30. RHONDA SCHULTZ says:

    I use many pills every month. When does your fund raiser end? I can send you pill bottles if you still need them. contact me at rajahraus@hotmail,com

  31. Janet says:

    Email me address I will send bottles to you. Thank you. Janet

  32. lynn jensen says:

    Hi, Mary — what kind of fundraiser? And where would you like the bottles mailed?

  33. Anonymous says:

    Please send me an address I will so I can send you my empty prescription bottles.

  34. Elaine T. says:

    My parents have both passed and I have so many empty pill bottles that can be reused. I understand that the Malawi Project no longer needs these. If you know of an organization that could use them I would need an address as to where to mail them. Thank you kindly!

  35. Deb Kimber says:

    Please consider the Matthew 25 Ministries or the Gimme 5 website.
    Both accept RX bottles.
    Thank you for recycling
    Deb

  36. Julie Ahrendt says:

    Do you still need pill bottles for your fundraiser. If so, please include your mailing address so I can send them. We had been collecting and mailing them in to the Malawi project and have some ready to go.
    Thank you, Julie

  37. lynn jensen says:

    Can anyone on this site tell all of us a valid and current mailing address to which we can send clean, unlabeled orange / white cap prescription bottles — it seems that ere are many of us who desperately want to help some needy and worthy project, but since the Malawi, Africa Project is no longer accepting bottles, none of us know what to do anymore — thank you. Mrs. Lynn Jensen, North St. Paul, MN

  38. Karen Robinson says:

    I called and you can send your empty medicine bottles to:
    Matthew 25 Ministries
    11060 Kenwood Rd.
    Cincinnati, OH 45242

  39. Marc says:

    My local Social Welfare Clinic is always in need of donations. They use the donated bottles to dispense meds to the poor and the homeless people in the area. They have an onsite pharmacy, but the cost of the meds stretches their budget as far as it can go. Most of the doctors are Nurse Practioners and the actual Doctors donate their time and recieve no pay. So the cost of pill bottles is just too much for their budget, they need donations to keep providing necessary medications to those who otherwise would just suffer and possibly die because they can’t afford to go to a doctor. If you need any more info please contact me at officer1044@yahoo.com. Or if you just wish to donate your pill bottles to the clinic, you can send them to
    2314 Olive
    St. Joseph, MO 64507-1509

  40. Cheri Rinkevich says:

    Do you still need pill bottles for your fund raiser? Please send me an email with mailing info. My brother’s church started saving them, but no one has followed up with what to do with them or where to send them, so I volunteered.

    Thank you,
    Cheri Rinkevich

  41. Kathy Baldridge says:

    This is the website for Matthew 25 Minitries, related to donation of pill bottles. I hope it helps you all!

    http://m25m.org/pillbottles/

  42. Not my info but found online… Bread of Healing Clinic
    The Bread of Healing Clinic (breadofhealing.org) began as a ministry of Cross Lutheran Church, established with the support of community partners (UW-Madison Medical School, Aurora Health Care, other local churches). It continues now as a separately incorporated organization, holding clinics at Cross Lutheran Church and Eastbrook Church. They provide:

    High-quality medical care for people with chronic illnesses, who are working but are without access to health insurance. The clinic dispenses only a few pills at a time so that patients come back to be monitored and then receive more medication.
    Education for patients and for volunteers to learn more about the treatment of chronic illnesses in patients who most often experience disparities in care.
    Opportunities to experience, request, and offer healing for all of us (patient, provider, volunteer).
    Health care for patients in between health insurance coverages.
    ITEMS COLLECTED:
    Empty prescription bottles (please completely remove the labels and the adhesive left on the bottles, and wash out the bottles so there’s no danger of mixing the residue of your medication with a new medication)

    • Anonymous says:

      I called and Bread of Healing Clinic does
      not need any bottles

    • Diana Perry says:

      Are you still collecting prescription bottles? I have a lot of them collected by 2 churches. I can send them out right away. My phone number is 989-316-2490

  43. Lisa D. says:

    I also had been saving pill bottles for the Malawi Project, which is no longer accepting them (they received over a million!). After some research, it turns out that the sorting machinery used by most municipal recycling programs can’t handle the bottles due to their size. I had the thought that maybe if the large chain pharmacies (CVS, RiteAid, Walgreen’s, etc) started receiving thousands of these bottles in the mail, it might encourage them to make recycling the bottles more of a priority. If the Malawi Project received a million bottles, consider the unbelievable amount of these bottles that end up in our landfills! Seems like there should be a reasonable solution available.

  44. OE says:

    Matthew 25 Ministries Empty Pill Bottle Recycling

    Matthew25Ministries

    In developing countries, medicines—when actually obtainable—are often dispensed into hands, pockets, leaves or any other available container.

    Matthew 25 Ministries accepts donations of basic medical supplies such as empty pill bottles to help improve health care quality in developing nations. Donations of clean, unlabeled pill bottles help the poorest of the poor in many ways: Medicine can be distributed in sterile containers. Pill bottles that are not appropriate for shipping are recycled for cash that goes towards Matthew 25:Ministries’ programs.

    This plastic recycling program keeps thousands of bottles out of landfills each year. Placing a nickel, dime or quarter in each pill bottle helps with shipping costs to send the bottles to developing countries.

    Matthew 25: Ministries accepts the following types of empty pill bottles:
    Prescription pill bottles
    Large and small pill bottles
    Pill bottles with and without child resistant caps
    Over-the-counter pill bottles.

    Get more information at the Matthew 25 Ministries website M25M.ORG

    SEND YOUR PILL BOTTLES TO:

    Matthew 25 Ministries
    11060 Kenwood Road
    Cincinnati, OH 45242

    You can help improve the quality of health care in hospitals and health clinics in developing countries by saving and donating basic medical supplies such as pill bottles.

  45. Kathleen Costa says:

    I know, you can turn them into mini first – aid necklaces. Like for cub scouts and girl scouts. Also, they can be used for cups when you are traveling

  46. CS:GO says:

    Your advice is extremely helpful

  47. A langer says:

    Anyone still have empty medicene bottles. I use them for sewing and fishing kits for OCC shoeboxes.
    Thanks

    Reply to
    Papa.ml65@gmail.com

  48. Debora Farnsworth says:

    I have hundreds of pill bottles. I am looking to donate to someone that can really make good use of them. Please advise. Thanks Debora Farnsworth

    • Nora says:

      Try giving them to local animal shelters. they can use them for medicine for sick animals that fo to foster homes

  49. I found this as a way to recycle pill bottles.
    Not my website but good info-
    Mail them to:
    The Malawi Project, Inc
    3314 Van Tassel Drive
    Indianapolis, IN
    46240



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