Why Recycling Labels on Mylar Bags Can Be Misleading

 

It can be hard to tell that many Mylar bags are actually recyclable based only on their looks. Like many plastics, they also have a texture that is similar to many other flexible packaging materials, yet this can confuse many people looking to recycle their Mylar bags.

Mylar bags are built differently than typical recyclable materials. While typical recyclable materials are single layer, Mylar bags will normally consist of different materials laminated together that are meant to keep the contents protected from light, air and moisture. There is no way to separate these multiple laminated layers of Mylar bags through normal recycling processes.

Many Mylar bags have a technical recyclability statement printed on the package; meaning the material can be recycled under certain conditions. But most consumers pay attention only to what they put in the curbside recycling bins; thus most consumers will not recycle Mylar bags when they should be recycled.

Without clear definitions of what recyclable means or how to properly recycle, most people will continue to throw Mylar bags in the wrong place, thus contaminating the recycling stream and wasting the potential for local recycling programs.

This guide titled Are Mylar Bags Recyclable? offers easy-to-read explanations of the definitions and technical descriptions of recyclable materials'.