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Sustainability

Make Merry, Not Waste: Recycling and Reusing Packaging Materials From this Christmas Season

7 January 2020

Surges in online shopping during the Christmas peak season mean immense amounts of deliveries and possibly, an overflow of packaging materials our homes. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans throw away about 25% more rubbish during the Thanksgiving to New Year’s holiday period than any other time of the year.

We don't have to fill our rubbish bins so full this year. Many of those packages will include BUBBLE WRAP® brand original cushioning and air pillows, and AUTOBAG® brand StealthWrap® shrink films – and they're all store drop-off recyclable.

delivery, mail service, people and shipment concept - close up of female hands packing mug into parcel box and it wrapping into protective bubble wrap at post office

Reduce, reuse, recycle


Once deflated, the flexible plastic packaging can be recycled at local store drop-off locations that accept stretchy plastics (they also accept things like bread, dry cleaning, grocery and newspaper bags). Many grocery stores provide a bin in front of the store to collect bags and films that are marked with resin identification codes No.2 and No.4.

Check your local recycling programmes for specific regulations: Tossing it all in the roadside bin may seem like the responsible way to get rid of rubbish, but not every recyclable item can be recycled that way. Aspirational recycling can cause more problems than it seems to solve, and most mixed-use recycling facilities are not equipped to handle flexible materials with the same processes that manage harder goods.

From the drop-off location, BUBBLE WRAP® brand and SEALED AIR® brand packaging is re-pelletised to make a variety of products including rubbish bags and automotive parts, which can also be recycled. The easiest way, of course, to give these materials new life is to reuse them – in the boxes you send to exchange a gift for the right size or if you happen to ship gifts early in the year.

gift wrapped in recyclable packaging material with message

A greener Christmas – and beyond


A little planning, preparation and education can help us all create a more sustainable Christmas season. Together, we can create a positive impact by making the world work better and conserving the planet's resources.

Learn more about our sustainability efforts, including our pledge to make our products 100% recyclable or reusable by 2025 and our annual sustainability report. 

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