How to Recycle Packing Materials After a Move
Do your part when the delivery person comes around
Packing materials can be reused in many ways.
Some moving companies offer packing material removal as part of their service.
Recycle your packing materials at a recycling center, shipping company, or big-box retailer.
Moving comes with a ton of extra packing materials, from boxes to packing tape to unpopped bubble wrap. And when you’re already in the weeds of unpacking your belongings, figuring out what to do with these materials can be another headache. Luckily, there are a few options for how to recycle packing materials.
As you plan for your next move, figure out what you’re going to do with your packing materials ahead of time to mitigate the hassle during the process. Let’s cover some of the options available for recycling packing materials so you’re prepared.
Why Recycle Packing Materials?
Recycling packing products is important because if cardboard, plastic spacers, bubble wrap, and tape are dumped in a landfill, some of the materials can take up to 1,000 years to decompose naturally. That’s not a sustainable solution to getting rid of packing materials, especially since landfills are quickly filling up.
While certain packing materials aren’t biodegradable, most are recyclable. By disposing of the materials properly, you can keep them out of landfills and also make sure they’re reused. This reduces strain on the environment and the need to manufacture new packing materials from newly sourced raw materials.
Where to Recycle Leftover Packing Materials?
The best place to recycle old packing materials will depend on the specific material and the facilities available in your area.
Plastic Packaging
Plastic used in packing materials—including plastic spacers, zip ties, and strapping—is recyclable in most areas at standard recycling facilities. Look for the plastic identification number printed or embedded on the components.
You can double-check with your local sanitation department for what numbers can go out with your standard recycling and include the matching packing materials with your bottles and cans on recycling day.
If the numbers don’t match, search online for a recycling center near you to see if they can handle the numbers. You can haul your plastic components to the facility yourself or hire a local garbage removal company to collect and haul them away for you. Just be sure to confirm that your professional will bring everything in for recycling rather than dumping it in a landfill.
Paper and Cardboard
Paper and cardboard are some of the most common packing materials for moving, and they’re among the easiest materials to recycle.
If your cardboard boxes are in good condition and could serve someone else during a move, you can try donating them or listing them for free on a local online marketplace. Some charitable organizations, like Habitat for Humanity, might also accept them.
In most municipalities, you can put paper and cardboard out on the appropriate recycling day. If you have a lot and want to get rid of it quickly, though, you can bring it to most recycling facilities or hire a junk removal company to pick it up and haul it away for you.
Styrofoam and Packing Peanuts
Styrofoam and packing peanuts are recyclable, but many facilities don’t have the equipment necessary to handle these materials.
These materials are reusable, so the easiest way to dispose of them is to donate them to local movers or list them as “free with local pick up” on an online marketplace. If you can’t find a donation center or an individual to take them and reuse them, call local recycling centers to see if there’s one nearby where you can deliver the items.
Bubble Wrap and Mailers
Bubble wraps and mailers are mostly made of plastic, but they won’t have the same plastic identification numbers as hard plastic packing materials. Instead, these are considered “film plastics,” and you shouldn’t mix these in with your regular plastic recycling. These materials are not biodegradable, either, so you shouldn’t throw them away.
The easiest and most responsible way to dispose of them is to donate them or give them away for use during another move. Try to find family, friends, or neighbors that are relocating, or list the materials for free on an online marketplace. You can also try donating them to local moving companies that might be able to put them to good use.
The next best option is to check with local recycling facilities that can handle plastic film. You’ll either have to deliver it yourself or hire a professional to pick it up and recycle it for you.
Rubber Bands
Unfortunately, most rubber bands are not recyclable because they’re made with synthetic materials that create toxic compounds during the process of recovering the rubber. As such, you have two options to prevent them from ending up in a landfill.
First, you can repurpose them if you only have a handful. Use them as grips for container lids, to tie up power cords, or to keep stacks of pencils or pens neat and tidy. You can also wrap them around hangers to prevent clothes from slipping off. You might be able to reuse them for other crafts, too.
Second, you can donate them to schools or offices in your area that might use them rather than buying new ones.
Tips for Recycling Packing Materials
Recycling packing materials right after you use them for a move can feel like a time-consuming chore. Here are a few tips to make the process faster and easier to manage, even if you have other things going on.
Sort as you go. First and foremost, sorting packing materials and transporting everything to the right facilities can take a lot of time and effort. Instead, sort things as you go to save time down the road. A little preparation can save a lot of time.
Rely on a professional. If you’re feeling overwhelmed from your move and just don’t have the time to sort and haul away materials to different facilities, call a garbage removal service. A professional will come pick everything up for you, and provided you call ahead to make sure they’ll recycle everything appropriately, you don’t have to worry about your materials ending up in a landfill.
Put them out with your normal recycling. Most packing materials can go out with your normal recycling, including cardboard, paper, and hard plastics. If you don’t mind storing your moving materials for a few weeks, you can get rid of batches of them over time without spending any money.
Wait until you have a large volume to get rid of. If you’re calling in a pro to pick everything up or you’re hauling everything away yourself, wait until you have a large volume to make it worth it.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro to Recycle Packing Materials
Recycling packing materials is easy enough for virtually any homeowner to do themselves, even if they have no DIY experience. All you need to do is sort your materials, do a little research on your local regulations and recycling facilities, and then drive the materials to appropriate places for disposal. For things like cardboard, paper, and some plastics, you can even just put them out for pickup with your normal recycling.
However, if you just completed a stressful move and have other things on your mind, like finding new doctors, hiring professionals for renovations, or settling into a new job, then hiring a professional junk hauler can make responsible disposal of packing materials a breeze. You’ll pay between $100 and $300 in most cases, but they’ll know where to bring each material, and they’ll pick everything up and often sort it for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
The only packing material that isn’t often recyclable is rubber, but rubber bands aren’t common for packing and moving. Some materials used for moving, like cardboard, paper, and hard plastic, are easy to recycle and can often just go out for regular pickup with your other recyclables, like cans and bottles. Plastic films and packing peanuts can be a bit more difficult to recycle and usually need to go to a dedicated recycling facility that can handle those specific materials.
Cardboard is one of the easiest leftover packing materials to upcycle, as you can cut it and glue it to create crafts, drawer organizers, weed blockers for your garden, templates for woodworking, and more—your creativity is your only limitation. Plastic is best for crafts, but depending on the shape, you can use plastic components as indoor planters, organizational baskets, and more. Rubber bands are great for creating grips for jar or bottle lids, preventing clothes from falling off of hangers, or creating a grip for screws in damaged wood.
One of the best ways to reduce packaging waste is to purchase materials that are made using recycled materials. While these don’t eliminate waste, they do help provide uses for old packaging materials and prevent the need to collect more raw ingredients for continued manufacturing. Recycling those same products helps complete the cycle and reduces the need for new materials in the supply chain. You can also upcycle some packing materials, like cardboard and plastic, for use in crafts and organizational tools.
