Re: Privacy question: how do you dispose of medication bottles?

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/10/2002 10:19:03 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

thensheappeared@... writes:

> I value my privacy

Hi Lee.

I value my privacy also. Up until recently our dumpsters were open and

anyone could go through them. Though it was illegal, they still did it. The

county has recently updated the bins and the garbage is compacted several

times throughout the day, so I'm not as uncomfortable as prior to the update.

I still try to remove the label, but if not successful, I'll mark through

the info with a Sharpie permanent marker. I asked our local pharmacy about

recycling and was told they threw them in the trash.

On another list I'm on (WasteNothing) someone mentioned using the bottles for

making sewing kits, storing seeds. I can't remember the other uses at the

moment, but will look up the info.

Eunice

[Guest guest]

--- I don't throw them away! I use them! Great for storing change,

the larger ones hold quarters, the mid size are good for nickles and

the smaller ones for dimes! Also good for holding buttons and small

items. We have a lot of them around here.

Madge

In diabetes@y..., Concrete Blonde <thensheappeared@y...> wrote:

> OK, maybe no one but me is this paranoid, but in case you are

> and you have a solution, please let me know:

>

> The nice little amber-colored bottles that we all get from the

> pharmacy (those of us on meds) have spiffy little labels stuck

> on them with tons and tons of personal information on them:

> names, addresses, phone numbers, prescription information, lots

> of other stuff. I value my privacy, especially my medical

> history, so how can I toss this stuff into a public landfill?

> Also, from a recycling perspective it's kind of a lot of solid

> material every month to toss into that same landfill.

>

> I only started taking medication in August and so far I have a

> little drawer with all the empty med containers -- but it's

> getting pretty full and I need a solution! Help me please! Any

> ideas? The adhesive is pretty tough, otherwise I'd try to

> remove the labels and recycle the bottles... does anyone know if

> pharmacies take them back? I usually go to the late night drive

> through pharmacy in my town, and of course I never think to ask

> while I'm there...

>

> Thanks,

>

> Lee

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

Call an office supply store and ask if they have any

permanent black markers that have a saturation level high

enough to completely cover the information on the bottle. I

hadn't thought of it, but it is a lot of information isn't

it?

Concrete Blonde wrote:

> OK, maybe no one but me is this paranoid, but in case you

> are

> and you have a solution, please let me know:

>

> The nice little amber-colored bottles that we all get from

> the

> pharmacy (those of us on meds) have spiffy little labels

> stuck

> on them with tons and tons of personal information on

> them:

> names, addresses, phone numbers, prescription information,

> lots

> of other stuff. I value my privacy, especially my medical

>

> history, so how can I toss this stuff into a public

> landfill?

> Also, from a recycling perspective it's kind of a lot of

> solid

> material every month to toss into that same landfill.

>

> I only started taking medication in August and so far I

> have a

> little drawer with all the empty med containers -- but

> it's

> getting pretty full and I need a solution! Help me

> please! Any

> ideas? The adhesive is pretty tough, otherwise I'd try to

>

> remove the labels and recycle the bottles... does anyone

> know if

> pharmacies take them back? I usually go to the late night

> drive

> through pharmacy in my town, and of course I never think

> to ask

> while I'm there...

>

> Thanks,

>

> Lee

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

I don't bother if they are things like antibiotics but if they are my

headache pills I bother big time because they are controlled narcotics

(I only take 5 a month or so) and a drug addict could try to get a

refill...

What I do is put hot water in a cup and then I dunk the little bottle in

the cup for about 10 minutes. I then shred the plastic with a knife or

scissors.especially my name and the name of the drug and the

prescription number..

If you do this each time one is emptied then you will nto hve a build up

of them...You can then put the plastic in a recycle bin.:-)

There is a product on the west coast called Goo Gone.you may have it or

something like it and it will take off labels..but the soaking is good

and no chemical.

sus

Privacy question: how do you dispose of medication

bottles?

OK, maybe no one but me is this paranoid, but in case you are

and you have a solution, please let me know:

The nice little amber-colored bottles that we all get from the

pharmacy (those of us on meds) have spiffy little labels stuck

on them with tons and tons of personal information on them:

names, addresses, phone numbers, prescription information, lots

of other stuff. I value my privacy, especially my medical

history, so how can I toss this stuff into a public landfill?

Also, from a recycling perspective it's kind of a lot of solid

material every month to toss into that same landfill.

I only started taking medication in August and so far I have a

little drawer with all the empty med containers -- but it's

getting pretty full and I need a solution! Help me please! Any

ideas? The adhesive is pretty tough, otherwise I'd try to

remove the labels and recycle the bottles... does anyone know if

pharmacies take them back? I usually go to the late night drive

through pharmacy in my town, and of course I never think to ask

while I'm there...

Thanks,

Lee

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

I was interested in the folks who dispose of their

pill bottles. Maybe it's because we live in the

" boonies " but the drug store always likes us to bring

the pill bottles back and they just refill them.

I very rarely throw a bottle away, unless the cat,

MagicKitty or dog, Shemp rolls it around the floor and

cracks it.

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

We don't get many of the brown ones but I usually throw them all out in a cat

litter container along with other small objects, light bulbs, bottle caps, and

such.

Carolyn

Type 2, Actos & Insulin

[Guest guest]

You know I never thought about this yet I am still using the same bottles

they just refill them.

NANCY BROTZMAN

<petra2000@... To:

diabetes

> cc:

Subject: Re: Privacy

question: how do you dispose of medication bottles?

05/12/2002 08:59 PM

Please respond to

diabetes

I was interested in the folks who dispose of their

pill bottles.  Maybe it's because we live in the

" boonies " but the drug store always likes us to bring

the pill bottles back and they just refill them.

I very rarely throw a bottle away, unless the cat,

MagicKitty or dog, Shemp rolls it around the floor and

cracks it.

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

I wish they'd just refill mine! I wouldn't mind the extra trip

or anything.

I go to a CVS in my area (the Boston area) and they not only

have all my personal info on there, they've got the Rx number

(which changes every 6 months or however long your Dr.

prescribes for) and the number of refills remaining, so I don't

know how they'd refill...unless they layer the labels all over

them. I'll ask my pharmacist tonight (have to pick up again) so

I'll see what they say.

Lee

--- pmuhamma@... wrote:

>

> You know I never thought about this yet I am still using the

> same bottles

> they just refill them.

>

> NANCY BROTZMAN

>

>

> <petra2000@... To:

> diabetes

> I was interested in the folks who dispose of their

> pill bottles.  Maybe it's because we live in the

> " boonies " but the drug store always likes us to bring

> the pill bottles back and they just refill them.

> I very rarely throw a bottle away, unless the cat,

> MagicKitty or dog, Shemp rolls it around the floor and

> cracks it.

>

__________________________________________________