Can You Recycle Bubble Wrap?
As a child, one of the most fun and satisfying thing to do after unwrapping packages is to pop bubble wrap. The sound of the bubbles popping in your hand was satisfying and calming then and even now as an adult. But once all the air sacs are popped, what do you do with the sheet of deflated plastic? Can you recycle it?
The answer is yes. It is, after all, made from plastic. But even then, finding a recycling centre can be a challenging process. The good news is that bubble wrap that if you can’t locate a recycling centre, you can reuse and repurpose the bubble wrap.
But before you throw it into the recycling bin, there are several things to note about recycling bubble wrap.
Let’s start from the basics.
What is Bubble Wrap?
Bubble Wrap is a brand name for packaging material. It’s just like Styrofoam. Bubble wrap is made from polyethylene plastic — low-density polyethylene to be specific. Two thin plastic sheets are laid on one another and air is forced through them. The air creates bubbles as the layers are heated to bond with each other. The creation of the bubble wrap was ingenious.
But like many inventions and discoveries in the 17th and 18th century, it was by accident. Marc Chavannes and Alfred Fielding, both qualified engineers, were in the process of creating revolutionary textured wallpaper when things went south, and they ended up with a hideous wallpaper. And since they had already spent a fortune in the process, they still tried to sell the product to greenhouses as a form of insulation. Unfortunately, that idea flopped as well.
Their big break came when IBM was looking for packaging material to help protect their delicate electronics as they shipped them via mail. Bubble wrap was the perfect solution to the problem. The engineers went ahead to create Sealed Air Corporation and concentrate manufacturing bubble wrap. The company has since grown and diversified. It currently produces safe packaging and mailing solutions.
Reasons to recycle bubble wrap
Since it’s made from plastic, the answer is obvious – plastic is non-biodegradable. As such, bubble wraps would be in landfills for eternity. Also, plastic is made from petroleum. As such, recycling reduces the usage of petroleum. If bubble wrap is burnt, it releases toxic fumes, which are a health hazard.
Re-using bubble wrap is simple and can save you a lot of money in the process. The next time you need to ship a fragile item, you use the bubble wrap. Last but not least, since bubble wrap is light, it’s blown away by the wind from landfills into water sources and waste streams. And once it lands in these areas, it can be a challenge and expensive to get rid of it.
Tips for recycling bubble wrap
Since they are made from similar plastic, bubble wrap can be recycled together with grocery bags, dry cleaning bags, and bread bags. However, this is not always the case. For this reason, you should always check with the local recycling program. You can read through their guidelines for clarity. And while you are at it, familiarize yourself with the process of preparing bubble wrap for recycling.
If you cannot find a local plastic recycling centre in your area, you should consider reusing bubble wrap.
Tips on reusing bubble wrap
The most common and easiest way of reusing bubble wrap is as packaging material in delicate items you intend to ship. Also, most mailing companies accept bubble wraps. However, the bubble wrap needs to be intact; otherwise, it is of no use to them as packaging material.
If you are creative, you can also make Halloween costumes like jellyfish from bubble wrap. But if that’s too far, you could create a large hopscotch platform for your kids to enjoy – the list is endless. You can always check Pinterest for ideas.
