Prescription pill bottles are typically orange (amber) because the color helps protect medications from ultraviolet (UV) light, which can degrade their potency over time. The amber hue filters out harmful UV rays while still allowing enough visible light to see the contents inside.

Beyond light protection, the orange bottle has become a recognizable standard for prescription medications, helping differentiate them from over-the-counter drugs. The white child-resistant caps further enhance safety by reducing the risk of accidental ingestion by children.

While orange is the most common color, some medications require specialized bottles in other colors—such as blue, green, or red—to provide additional protection based on the drug's light sensitivity or storage needs.

Recycling & Donation Programs

• Donation Programs: Some organizations, like Matthew 25: Ministries, accept clean, label-free prescription bottles to distribute medications in developing countries where proper packaging is scarce.

• Pharmacy Recycling Bins: Major pharmacy chains, including Walgreens and CVS, often have disposable bins for safe recycling of pill bottles—check with your local store for details.

• Curbside Recycling: Some municipal recycling programs accept prescription bottles, but many do not due to their small size and plastic type (#5 polypropylene). Check with your local recycling provider to confirm eligibility.

• Terracycle’s Zero Waste Box: TerraCycle offers a paid mail-in recycling program for prescription bottles and other hard-to-recycle plastics.