How to Recycle Packaging

Cardboard, cartons, and mailers with very different recycling odds. Corrugated cardboard recycles at 69-74% (2024, AF&PA); food and beverage cartons reach 61% of US households but only about 20% actually get recycled; plastic film mailers need a store drop-off, not curbside.

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Corrugated Cardboard Boxes

Shipping boxes and corrugated packaging, widely accepted in curbside programs. One of the highest-performing recyclables by weight, with a 69-74% US recycling rate in 2024.

Learn how to recycle Corrugated Cardboard Boxes

Aseptic Cartons (Tetra Pak)

Multi-layer cartons for shelf-stable and refrigerated beverages, soup, and broth. Made of paper, plastic, and (for shelf-stable cartons) a thin aluminum layer - not wax, despite a common myth. Access has grown fast, but actual recycling participation still lags well behind.

Learn how to recycle Aseptic Cartons (Tetra Pak)

Padded Mailers (Paper)

Shipping mailers made entirely of paper, including crinkle-paper and molded-paper cushioning formats that have replaced plastic bubble padding in a growing share of e-commerce packaging.

Learn how to recycle Padded Mailers (Paper)

Bubble Mailers (Plastic)

Plastic bubble mailers and similar flexible plastic shipping padding. Not accepted in curbside recycling anywhere in the US; instead recyclable through the same retail store drop-off network used for plastic bags and film.

Learn how to recycle Bubble Mailers (Plastic)

Find Packaging Recycling Centers Near You

Ready to recycle your packaging materials? Use our search tool to find nearby recycling centers that accept these items.

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Packaging Recycling Guide

Complex Materials

Packaging often mixes materials (paper, plastic, foil), making recycling tricky. Check labels carefully.

• Cardboard: Flatten boxes to save space
• Film Plastics: Store Drop-off (grocery bags, air pillows)
• Styrofoam: Specialized drop-off only

Reuse is Best

Reuse boxes and packing material for your own shipping or moving needs whenever possible.

Packaging Recycling FAQ

Can I recycle bubble wrap and air pillows?

Not in curbside bins! They are plastic film (like grocery bags). You must pop them and drop them off at grocery store plastic bag collection bins (Store Drop-Off). In curbside bins, they jam sorting machinery.

Is Styrofoam packaging recyclable?

Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) foam blocks are rarely accepted in curbside programs. However, many specialized drop-off centers exist. Packing peanuts are generally harder to recycle; consider reuse or donation.