Envelopes Put in Recycling Cart/Bin Recycle clean paper. Window envelopes, staples and tape are OK. Do not recycle paper that has foil residue. Padded Envelopes Go in the Garbage Recycling plants don’t accept padded envelopes because they can’t separate the mixed materials. If your padded envelope is plastic-only, recycle it with plastic bags. Recycle Plastic Tyvek Mailers With Plastic Bags Plastic Tyvek envelopes are made of plastic film and can be recycled with plastic bags. Do not recycle these envelopes with paper recycling. Lunar New Year Envelopes Red envelopes for the Lunar New Year made of plain paper can be placed in the recycling container. However, glossy envelopes with foil must go in the garbage. Ways to Reduce Reduce Junk Mail Junk mail generates a lot of waste on a weekly basis. Learn how to reduce the amount of junk mail you receive. Ways to Reuse Use Envelopes More Than Once As much as possible, try to use envelopes more than once before disposing of them. You can cover old addresses with labels or cross them out.
