Packing Peanuts Alternative ways to recycle Put in Garbage/Landfill Most packing peanuts are made from plastic and cannot be recycled through our programs. Please bag them and place in the garbage. If peanuts are made from starch, contain them in a paper bag and place in the Organics. Don’t know if they’re starch? Pour water over one. If it completely dissolves, it’s starch. Choose Green If you have to use packing peanuts, try to pick the green ones. Some are made from recycled materials, and some are starch-based and biodegradable. The pink and white ones are made from 70 percent raw materials and won’t break down. Alternative Ways to Recycle Recycle With Home for Foam Visit Home for Foam to see if there is a foam recycler in your area. These recyclers will accept many foam products, including foam packaging. Ways to Reduce Use Paper Instead Rather than purchasing packing peanuts, use a more sustainable alternative to protect your shipped items, like paper or newspaper that was headed for the recycling. You can also try using shredded paper, which is difficult to recycle. Packing Boxes With Mushrooms Replace your packaging with a green alternative: Ecovative Design has developed bricks of organic waste that are injected with mushroom spores. They are biodegradable and will decompose in a month, unlike foam, which cannot fully biodegrade. Ways to Reuse Save for Next Time Packing peanuts are easily reusable. Just save them and next time you ship something that needs protection, use the packing peanuts again. Reuse Foam at Home Use foam to refill cushions or stuffed animals that have lost their loft. Take Them to a Mail Store Some mail stores will accept packing peanuts and other packing materials for reuse. It depends on policies and current supply, so call ahead to ask.