A visual guide: How to recycle mailers & Amazon packaging

With so many types of packaging, here’s a quick visual guide to what goes where.

As we wind down from the holidays, cleaning up our homes and taking down decorations, you may notice just how much more packaging waste has piled up.

Online shopping has increased over time, but it comes with real consequences. Amazon generated 709 million pounds of plastic packaging waste in 2021 and 26 million pounds of this plastic waste will end up in bodies of water. While Amazon has taken steps to divert waste from landfills through recycling initiatives, there are still opportunities for us to reduce waste, recycle more and choose sustainable options this winter.

To avoid waste and long shipping distances, navigate to our low-waste gift guide, for ideas on ways to find local, affordable, and sustainable options.

But even if you try to avoid online retailers or are feeling an affordability pinch, it’s often inevitable that you wind up with an online gifts or extra packaging from loved ones.

Here’s how to properly dispose of all of those cardboard boxes, plastic bubble mailers, and air pillows in Philadelphia.

Curbside Recyclables:

• #1, #2, and #5 labeled Plastics can be recycled at the curb.
• Cardboard boxes: are recyclable at curbside paper recycling(flatten and remove tape).

• Paper Padded Mailers & Packing Paper: recyclable at curbside paper recycling

• Insulated paper bags are recyclable at the curb.

Drop-Off Recyclables Only:

Bubble-lined plastic wrap, air pillows and wrap (#4 Plastic) are not recyclable at the curb. But did you know that many grocery stores, Targets, and Walmarts accept flexible plastic film (#4) for recycling? Use this plastic film recycling website to find the closest recycling drop-off center near you!

NOT Recyclable:

Bubble-lined Paper Mailers are not recyclable and should be disposed of in the trash.

For more visuals and instructions, visit Amazon‘s packaging instructions.

Cover photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash

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