Styrofoam, Bubble Packaging, Packaging Peanuts: Can They Be Recycled?

Last Updated on June 2, 2025 by Kira Andrus

Written By: Megan Curtis

Sustainable products are invaluable for reducing environmental impact, conserving our natural resources, and creating a circular economy that keeps products in circulation by composting, recycling, reusing, and remanufacturing.

Are Packing Peanuts Recyclable?

Packing peanuts that protect products from damage during shipping are manufactured from expanded polystyrene or EPS. The Dow Chemical designation is Styrofoam. Packing peanuts aren’t biodegradable and can’t be recycled. The packaging is often mistaken for food by birds and fish. The best option is to donate the packaging to a shipping store to be reused. Another effective way to reuse the material is to use it for garden compost.

Can You Recycle Styrofoam?

EPS, or what most people refer to as Styrofoam, is created from petroleum and is 90 percent air. The question is, can styrofoam be recycled? Due to its properties, expanded polystyrene is only effectively recycled when it’s ground up and then compacted to create a more dense shape. Most recycling companies won’t recycle EPS since they don’t have the necessary equipment. Some communities have drop-off locations for foam packaging.

Is Bubble Wrap Recyclable?

Unlike hard plastics like milk and water containers, soda bottles, and shampoo and detergent bottles that are commonly recycled and have RIC’s or Resin Identification Codes 1 and 2, bubble wrap is made of high-density polyethylene or polyethylene terephthalate and is categorized as RIC number 4. Bubble wrap is in the same category as shrink wrap and plastic bags.

How Can Bubble Wrap Be Recycled?

Bubble wrap can be recycled at a special facility that specializes in that type of plastic. However, one extra step is required before the wrap can be recycled. You must pop the air bubbles before taking it to a recycling center. Recycling from home is another option. If you’re moving, you can use bubble wrap to protect fragile items before packing.

Bubble wrap is waterproof and very durable. It makes an excellent wrapping for storing household items that you aren’t using. Another practical use for bubble wrap is insulation. The wrap can be used in homes, for automotive use, to protect plants during cold weather, and in greenhouses.

You can search bag and film recycling to find a recycling center in your area. You can also check local retail stores to see if they recycle bubble wrap. A recycling center that specializes in materials like bubble wrap shred the plastic into tiny pieces that are converted into pellets. These pellets are used in furniture, flooring, and construction.

Can Packing Paper Be Recycled?

One of the best features of brown packing paper is that, like most paper, it can be recycled. Most recycling facilities accept packing paper as long as it doesn’t have a wax coating, isn’t lined with any type of plastic, and doesn’t feature embellishments like glitter. Packing paper isn’t acceptable for recycling if it’s treated with laminating. Any type of treated paper isn’t recyclable.

Wrapping Up

Whether you’re looking for Styrofoam, bubble packaging, packaging peanuts, or packing paper for your business’s packaging solutions, the recyclable nature of these products should always be a variable in your decision-making process. With more and more consumers caring about the environmental impacts of their purchases, consider brown packaging paper as the safest solution towards ensuring an environmentally friendly experience. And remember, visit ClearBags for all of your product packaging needs!