From Large To Microplastic Packing Waste
When it comes to packing waste, we normally think about things like bubble wrap and Styrofoam; these types of packing materials envelope goods to help prevent handling damage. While recycling these “packers” is possible, it is usually difficult to find a recycling center that accepts them so most of these fillers go to landfill. Technically speaking, bubble wrap should be made from #4 low-density polyethylene; however, it is not always the case and can even be made using a mix of plastics. Because low density polyethylene is a used in disposable, plastic shopping bags, it is often conveniently recycled at retail grocers and pharmacies in their Plastic Bag Recycling Bin . Unfortunately, because bubble wrap is not always #4 plastic it cannot be recycled this way. And, acccording to Recycle Bank like all plastic films, bubble wrap “can tangle with other recyclables and with the machinery at the MRF to cause jams and damaged equipment”. It is simply not wanted in the “Recycle World...