DEAR SUN SPOTS: What should I do with my empty prescription bottles? Thank you. — No name, no town.
ANSWER: Some people may not think twice about throwing prescription bottles in the trash but it’s very important to make sure that none of your personal information is left on the label. Remove the label or, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration suggests, scratch out any personal information, including your name, date of birth, your health care provider’s name, and the medication type. You do not want your personal health information getting into the wrong hands. If your personal information has been removed, you can dispose of it as you would any other plastic container.
If you have medication left over, read and follow any disposal instructions that come with the medication. There are permanent medicine drop boxes available year-round in Androscoggin County that are managed by law enforcement. You did not provide which town you are from, so try contacting the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Department, 207-753-2500 for more information about finding the medication drop box in your town.
If you are looking for an interesting way to reuse these bottles, there are lots of ideas on the internet. People decorate them and store craft and hobby items in them, such as buttons or beads. Others use them to store mini-first-aid kits and donate them to homeless shelters. You can find more ideas at 104homestead.com/new-uses-old-pill-bottles.
DEAR SUN SPOTS: I feel that I have to write to Sun Spots regarding your recent comment that “everyone should do their best to save trees.” Trees are now a crop that is managed by the industry in a sustainable manner.
Thousands of Mainers have lost their jobs in the pulp, paper and logging industries over the past several years and the “save a tree” attitude is negatively affecting their future livelihood.
I’m sure you would not be very happy with me if I went around stating: “Save a tree, don’t buy newspapers.” — Brian Beaulieu, Jay.
ANSWER: A very good point. The logging, pulp and paper industries are a very important part of Maine’s history and people’s livelihoods to this day. According to the Maine Forest Products Council, $1 out of every $16 in Maine’s gross state product and 1 of every 20 jobs is associated with Maine’s forest products sector.
For some context, Sun Spots was responding to a reader’s comment that people need not print entire owner’s manuals from the internet when they include several pages in multiple languages, presumably not useful to that person. It is helpful to realize that these extra pages are included because the everyday consumer may not have the luxury of printing several useless pages of information when they themselves are paying out of their pockets for that paper and printer ink. So, with the sustainability and importance of the paper industry in mind, here is an edit: Save your money and only print the pages that you need.
The original response can be seen online at tinyurl.com/h4qgcyb.
Use the QR code to go to Sun Spots online for additional information and links. This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can be emailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com, tweeted @SJ_SunSpots or posted on the Sun Spots Facebook page at facebook.com/SunJournalSunSpots. This column can also be read online at sunjournal.com/sunspots. We’ve joined Pinterest at pinterest.com/sj_sunspots.
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