One of the most common packing materials is bubble wrap, used to set fragile items safely when they are shipped. Considering its light structure and fun popping, it is hard to imagine life without bubble wrap. But once the main aim has been served, normally follows the question: is bubble wrap recyclable? The answer is not as simple as many would like it to be, but with the proper knowledge and resources, you can make your decisions in an environmentally friendly way.
The Challenges of Recycling Bubble Wrap
Another reason why bubble wrap is hardly ever accepted tossed into a recycling bin is due to what it is made from low-density polyethylene, or LDPE. This is a plastic that falls into the category 4 of recycling. While LDPE can and is recycled, the plastic material from bubble wrap is hard for most recycling facilities to accept in their curbside recycling collection. This is because the thin plastic film can bind up or clog their machinery, leading to problems and potential damage.
Furthermore, as bubble wrap is lightweight and bulky, it is quite time-consuming to amass large volumes of it, as well as the transportation required for recycling, which in turn reduces the cost-effectiveness of the recycling process. But it does not mean one can't recycle bubble wrap these days to have its harms to the environment reduced.
How to Recycle Bubble Wrap
First, one should be able to contact the local recycling facility in order to determine if they accept plastic film as a material for recycling. Many facilities that do not accept bubble wrap in curbside bins may still have drop-off locations where you can take your plastic film, which does indeed include bubble wrap for recycling.
Another convenient option would be specialized recycling services, such as EZ on the Earth. This division of Lighting Resources offers a variety of recycling kits, which open up possibilities for businesses or individuals alike to recycle things that are otherwise hard to get rid of.
EZ on the Earth has turned into one of the largest national sources for recycling kits. They offer a steadily growing array of recycling solutions and eco-friendly products to easily recycle products.
Alternatives to Recycling Bubble Wrap
If your place of residence does not have a bubble wrap recycling facility, try to reuse the bubble wrap before disposing of it. Bubble wrap is quite strong and can be reused multiple times when it comes to packing and shipping goods. You can even get creative and use bubble wrap as an insulator while also wrapping it around fragile items for storage, or you can even use it as a craft material.
Think about your bubble wrap disposal a bit more seriously when you just can't reuse or recycle it. Reducing its use as much as possible and finding more sustainable packing alternatives should also be quite helpful as it does not degrade in landfills easily.
Why Recycling Bubble Wrap Matters
Like most plastics, bubble wrap adds to environmental pollution when not properly disposed of. It can take hundreds of years to break down in a landfill, adding meanwhile to the leaching of harmful chemicals into the soil and water. When bubble wrap makes its way into the natural environment, it may pose a threat to wildlife, especially when ingested, who mistaken it as food
Recycling bubble wrap, or finding any other uses for it, helps decrease these risks. Saving dumped bubble wrap from reaching landfills and natural surroundings is your small contribution to a healthier planet.
Conclusion
Though it may not be simple and easy to place bubble wrap into one's curbside bin, it is possible. Viable options, however, such as the recycling business established by EZ on the Earth make recycling hard-to-process materials a lot easier by ensuring the environmentally safe handling of such materials.
Done with the bubble wrap in your last package? Think about reusing it before you throw it out. And if that can't be done, recycle it. Explore recycling to such ends; that must go a long way in keeping this plastic out of landfills. Be part of the change that the world needs, through informed options; save the earth for posterity.