Did you know that nearly 70 percent of Americans take at least one prescription drug, and more than half take two? That’s a whole lot of empty pill bottles when the medication is gone. While some of these bottles are recycled or reused, many of them end up in landfills.

One group is working to change that. Cincinnati-based Matthew 25: Ministries, an international humanitarian aid and disaster relief organization, accepts donations of empty plastic pill bottles that are either sent to places where medical supplies are needed or are shredded and recycled. “Our pill bottle program fulfills the dual needs of improving medical care in developing countries and caring for our environment,” according to the website.

Many times, the pills people receive in developing countries are wrapped in paper scraps. They have no protection from moisture or the elements. And they certainly are not safely out of the reach of small children — you can’t really safety-proof a piece of paper. Those orange pill bottles we take for granted are gratefully received in many parts of the world.

Matthew 25: Ministries accepts the following:

So next time you find yourself taking a prescription or over-the-counter medication, save the bottle — don’t toss it! Before sending it off, remove the label. You can do this by submerging the bottle in a pot of boiling water if it doesn’t easily peel off. If there’s still a little sticky residue on the bottle, lemon essential oil will easily remove it.

Check out the guidelines for donating to make sure you’re providing the organization with something they can use.

When you’re ready to ship your bottle(s) off, address your package to: Matthew 25: Ministries 11060 Kenwood Road Cincinnati, OH  45242

That’s it! You just made a difference and kept plastic out of our landfills.

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