UVA Health launches new ecofriendly medication bottles

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - UVA Health pharmacy is launching something new that’s aiming to protect the planet by reducing waste and reshaping how prescriptions are packaged.

You’ve probably seen these orange plastic bottles, but what if they looked more like this. UVA Health is starting to use recyclable paper bottles like this one to cut down on waste and lower its carbon footprint.

 “There’s a lot of opportunity for waste reduction and recycling within pharmacy practice just naturally,” Pharmacy Supply Manager Carrie Kovacik said. “It’s been a goal of ours to improve our sustainability within the pharmacy department.”

 UVA Health is saying goodbye to plastic and hello to paper pill bottles.

Pharmacy Supply Manager Carrie Kovacik says sustainability has been a long-time goal.

From cardboard to plastic, pharmacies create a lot of waste, but most of it ends up discarded.

“They often just end up going to a landfill, and then they take a long time to breakdown,” Kovacik said.

Now, UVA is switching to fully recyclable, compostable paper bottles.

Erica Poe-- a UVA Health pharmacist-- says every part of the bottle has a second life.

“Parts of it are recyclable,” Poe said. “The cap, the paper bottle, and when this is separated, the paper part of the vial can actually go in compost as well.”

New look, same safety features.

The pharmacy made sure to keep the child-resistant protocol.

“Safety is very important and there’s no compromise in that with this piece,” Poe said.

Each bottle comes with a QR code for instructions.

But UVA Health knows some will prefer a human touch.

“When we go through changes like that, we try to make sure patients are aware of the change that’s happening, we’re able to talk through it,” Kovacik said.

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