Medicine packaging and beauty empties: where they go

Old and unwanted medicines

NHS community pharmacies take back unwanted or out-of-date medicines from households, free of charge. Keep them in their original packaging if you can and hand them to the pharmacy counter.

Pharmacies don't take needles or sharps. Ask your council about a sharps collection instead.

• Unused medicinesUsually: Drop-off point

Inhalers

Inhalers go back to a pharmacy along with other medicines. They shouldn't go in your household bin or recycling.

• InhalerUsually: Drop-off point

Blister packs

Empty tablet blister packs can't be recycled at home, so they usually go in your general waste. Two shop schemes take them instead.

Superdrug stores with a pharmacy have a collection box for empty medicine blister packs. Make sure the packs are completely empty, take off the cardboard box, and bring household amounts only. Superdrug stores without a pharmacy don't have the box.

Boots takes empty medicine and vitamin blister packs through its Recycle at Boots app. You register, photograph your empties in the app and wait for approval, which takes up to 24 hours on weekdays. You then take at least 5 approved items to a participating Boots store and hand them over in one go.

• Pill blister packUsually: General waste

Toothpaste tubes and beauty empties

Recycle at Boots also takes toothpaste tubes and other hard-to-recycle beauty empties, such as mascara, from any brand. It works the same way as for blister packs, through the app.

Some M&S stores have a take-back box in the beauty section for empty plastic or aluminium beauty packaging of any brand, including bottles, tubes, caps, pumps and tubs. M&S listed 100 stores in November 2024, so not every store has one. Check before you go.

Empty the container as far as you can before you hand it in. Lipstick, mascara, compacts and makeup brushes are general waste at home if you don't have a take-back scheme nearby.

• Mascara or eyelinerUsually: General waste
• Lipstick, lip balm or lip glossUsually: General waste
• Makeup compact or paletteUsually: General waste
• Makeup brush or spongeUsually: General waste
• Toothpaste tubeUsually: Recycle at home

Bottles, pots and pumps

Empty plastic shampoo bottles, soap pumps and roll-on deodorants can go in your recycling once they are empty and rinsed, with the lid back on. Plastic cosmetic jars and tubs go in with the other pots, tubs and trays.

Glass cosmetic jars and perfume bottles go in the glass recycling. Details differ between councils and nations, so use the item pages to see yours.

• Shampoo or shower gel bottleUsually: Recycle at home
• Hand soap pump bottleUsually: Recycle at home
• Roll-on deodorantUsually: Recycle at home
• Plastic cosmetics pot or tubeUsually: Recycle at home
• Cosmetics or skincare jarEngland: Recycle at home; Scotland: Recycle at home; Wales: Recycle at home; Northern Ireland: Drop-off point
• Perfume bottleEngland: Recycle at home; Scotland: Recycle at home; Wales: Recycle at home; Northern Ireland: Drop-off point

Aerosols and nail varnish

Completely empty aerosols, such as deodorant cans, can go in your recycling. Don't pierce or crush them. A part-full aerosol is hazardous waste, and so is nail varnish, so take them to the hazardous waste area at your recycling centre in their original containers.

• Deodorant aerosolUsually: Recycle at home
• Aerosol canUsually: Recycle at home
• Part-full aerosolUsually: Recycling centre
• Nail varnish or removerUsually: Recycling centre

Common questions

Can you recycle blister packs?

Not at home. They usually go in general waste. Superdrug stores with a pharmacy have a collection box for empty ones, and Boots takes them through the Recycle at Boots app. Check each scheme's page first. See blister packs.

How do I dispose of old medicines in the UK?

Take them to an NHS community pharmacy. Pharmacies accept unwanted or out-of-date medicines free of charge. Don't put them in the bin or flush them away. Pharmacies don't take needles or sharps. See medicines.

What can I recycle at Boots?

Through the Recycle at Boots app, empty medicine and vitamin blister packs, toothpaste tubes and other hard-to-recycle beauty empties of any brand, at participating stores. You need to take at least 5 approved items in one go. Check the Recycle at Boots site for the current rules.

Can you recycle inhalers?

Take them to a pharmacy rather than putting them in your bin or recycling. See inhalers.

How do I recycle makeup?

Lipstick, mascara and compacts are general waste at home. Recycle at Boots and some M&S stores take beauty empties, but check that your nearest store takes part. See mascara and lipstick.