Do Not Recycle Curbside
Plastic-padded envelopes can clog recycling equipment, so keep them out of your curbside recycling bin. Recycle plastic-padded envelopes and other plastic film by taking it to a designated plastic bag drop-off location.
Remove Paper Labels Before Recycling
Before recycling, peel off or use scissors to remove any labels.
Mixed Materials Go in the Garbage
Padded envelopes made of mixed materials (e.g. paper envelopes with plastic bubble wrap inside) cannot be recycled. Toss them in the garbage.
Ways to Reduce
Buy Padded Envelopes Made of Like Materials
Use bubble mailers made from all paper or all plastic instead of mixed materials that cannot be recycled.
Ways to Reuse
Use More Than Once
Save padded envelopes you receive and reuse them when you have something to mail. Place new address labels over the original address labels and seal securely with new tape.
Use as Bubble Wrap
Reuse padded envelopes as padding for when you next need to store or ship something fragile.
