I'm not sure which pharmacy you use but the one I work in is required to put all pill cases in a specific 'hippa bin' and we have an outside company that takes the bags, and paper waste away to be disposed of. Who ever told you they dont recycle bottles should be fired. Most places are required to have safe disposal.
My area has alot of "Take Back Events " where the police set up booths and take all un-used or old drugs away to be disposed of.