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How to Recycle Bubble Mailers (Plastic)
Plastic bubble mailers and similar flexible plastic shipping padding. Most curbside programs exclude them; participating retail film drop-off locations may accept clean, dry mailers, subject to the local bin's instructions.
Check local acceptanceFILMLast reviewed July 30, 2026
Quick answer
Most curbside programs do not accept plastic bubble mailers because flexible film can tangle sorting equipment. Some participating stores collect clean, dry all-plastic mailers, but acceptance varies by location and bin: check the current locator and bin instructions before dropping one off. Separate paper from plastic when possible; bonded mixed-material mailers generally belong in the trash unless a local program lists them. Before you go, confirm that a local recycling center accepts the material in its current condition.
- Recycling route
- Check locally
- Recycling code
- FILM
How to Prepare
- 1Remove paper shipping labels and any paper insert if possible
- 2Deflate the air pockets so it packs flat
- 3Wipe off any residue with a dry cloth
- 4Gather with other clean plastic film to drop off in one trip
- 5Look for a How2Recycle 'Store Drop-Off' label for confirmation
Where to Recycle
- Participating grocery and retail store film drop-off bins (confirm location and accepted items)
- Municipal plastic film collection points, where available
Special Instructions
Use a participating store film bin only when the locator or posted bin instructions list the item. Store programs and accepted film types vary by location; do not assume every grocery store has an active collection bin.
Environmental Impact
Recycling flexible plastic film, including bubble mailers, cuts greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 8-23% compared to producing new film, and keeps a common piece of e-commerce packaging out of landfills and waterways.
Official guidance and resources
Accepted items and drop-off rules can vary by location. Check the destination before you go.
FAQs
Why can't plastic bubble mailers go in the curbside bin?
US recycling infrastructure isn't built for small, thin, lightweight plastic film. At a materials recovery facility, film can fly loose and wrap around sorting equipment, forcing the whole line to stop while workers cut it free. That's true of plastic bubble mailers, plastic bags, and most flexible plastic packaging alike.
How do I find a drop-off location for bubble mailers?
Use the locator at plasticfilmrecycling.org and check the store's posted bin instructions. Store participation and accepted items can change; a How2Recycle Store Drop-Off label is a useful signal, but still follow the actual bin's instructions.
What about mailers that are part paper, part bubble wrap?
Those are mixed material and generally not accepted either curbside or at a plastic film drop-off. If you can peel the paper and plastic apart, recycle each separately; if the layers are bonded together, it goes in the trash.
Related recycling guides
- How to recycle Chip Bags & Snack Wrappers
- How to recycle Coffee Pods & Capsules
- How to recycle Padded Mailers (Paper)
- How to recycle Disposable Utensils & Straws
- How to recycle Aseptic Cartons (Tetra Pak)
- How to recycle Takeout Containers
- How to recycle Corrugated Cardboard Boxes
- How to recycle Aluminum Foil & Trays
- How to recycle Bottle Caps & Lids
- How to recycle Plastic Clamshell Containers
Recycle bubble mailers (plastic)
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