Pill blister pack

Also called: blister pack, tablet packet, pill packet, medicine blister, foil strip

General waste

National rules. Choose your council to see its answer.

Your council's answer

The answer can differ by council. Choose your council to see its rules for this item.

How to prepare it

  1. Mixed plastic and foil can't be recycled at home
  2. Some pharmacies collect empty blister packs
  3. Take any unused tablets to a pharmacy

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National rules

The answer isn't the same in every UK nation. Choose your council to see the one that applies to you.

England, Scotland and Northern Ireland

General waste

This can't be recycled here. Put it in your general waste bin.

This item can't be recycled at home, so put it in your general waste bin.

Wales

General waste

This can't be recycled here. Put it in your general waste bin.

This item can't be recycled at home, so put it in your general waste; check if your council also collects nappies and incontinence pads separately.

Wales-wide guidance, checked 27 Sep 2026. View the source

How to recycle it

National schemes anyone in the UK can use.

National scheme

Recycle at Boots

Free (Advantage Card points if you also spend the minimum in store) · Return in store

Boots takes empty medicine and vitamin blister packs, toothpaste tubes and other hard-to-recycle beauty empties of any brand at participating stores through the Recycle at Boots app.

  1. Download the Recycle at Boots app and register
  2. Photograph your empties in the app and wait for them to be approved (approval takes up to 24 hours on weekdays)
  3. Take at least 5 approved items to a participating Boots store and deposit them in one go
  4. You get an Advantage Card points voucher, which you collect by spending the minimum in store

Source: recycleatboots.com, checked 17 Oct 2026.

National scheme

Superdrug medicine blister pack recycling

Free · Return in store

Superdrug stores with a pharmacy have a collection box for empty medicine blister packs.

  1. Make sure the blister packs are completely empty and remove the cardboard box
  2. Take them to a Superdrug that has a pharmacy (not other Superdrug stores)
  3. Put them in the blister pack collection box; household amounts only, no bulk drop-offs

Source: superdrug.com, checked 10 Oct 2026.

Recycle This isn't run by or endorsed by any council or the government. Councils change their services, so check anything important with your council.