Can you recycle shrink wrap?
My sister recently asked me whether or not she can recycle the shrink wrap she gets on packages sometimes. It used to be that most places wouldn’t accept “soft” plastics like shrink wrap, but that’s no longer true. As recycling programs have become more popular and cost-effective, they’ve expanded in scope as well. For example, Bloomington now accepts plastics in categories 1-6 (that little number inside the recycling symbol on the bottom of most plastic goods).
I did some digging and learned that shrink wrap falls into category 4: LDPE Low-Density Polyethylene. If your local recycling will take 4, as Bloomington’s does, then you can recycle your shrink wrap as normal.
I also learned that some people shrink wrap their boats to protect them in the off-season! Since some places still don’t accept category 4 plastics as recycling, you can buy huge bags that are then shipped to “Dr Shrink,” a manufacturer of boat shrink wrapping. I hear that there are similar programs for airlines as well.
The important part is that you can recycle shrink wrap just as easily as anything else (which might not be that easy if you have a traitor in the house).
I actually had fun looking up all of that, so I’ll extend my Google-fu to non-family as well. Is there anything about living sustainably that you don’t quite get or just don’t know? Leave a comment or send me a message and I’ll do my best to find an answer. Until the, keep recycling that shrink wrap!
Linnea said,
February 27, 2008 @ 11:56 pm
Thanks! The city of Seattle doesn’t recycle shrink wrap (unfortunately), but apparently a part of the University of Washington does. Maybe I’ll walk by one of the marinas and see if I can’t find some kind of drop box…
Dana said,
March 4, 2008 @ 5:59 pm
I never thought I’d miss the days of dividing up my trash in Japan! It certainly did make things clearer, though. All plastic stuff in one bag. All recyclable glass and metal in a bin. All “burnable” trash in another bag. All non-burnable, non-plastic trash in a third. Everybody did it, and the rules were the same in every city. I wish it was simpler here!
(And I really wish we’d get less junk mail. That’s pretty much all there is in my recycling bin anymore. That, and the 5 different phone books that have all come in the last month. I hate the phone book fairy.)
Christine said,
March 20, 2008 @ 12:25 am
Just what I was looking for!
I’m starting a eco-friendly chocolate truffle business and wanted to use shrink wrap to seal and protect my truffles but was disheartened by its lack of “greenness”. Now that I know it’s recyclable I feel comfortable proceeding. One of my goals is to help educated my customer (and myself) on sustainable practices. Thank you!
Rosalie Curtis said,
May 21, 2008 @ 5:25 pm
I did a bit of checking around and found a web site
http://www.plasticbagrecycling.org
I entered the state of Washington and found a company in Auburn that recycles shrink wrap!! They even do a free pickup!! Cant beat that.
http://www.avocoplastics.com
check them out.
Happy recycling!!
Rosalie