Mylar bags are recyclable because they contain polyester, also known as PET plastic. However, in practice, most curbside recycling programs do not accept Mylar bags. The reason is simple: most Mylar bags are made from layered materials, usually PET plastic bonded with a thin aluminum film. Those layers require specialized facilities to separate properly.

As a result, many Mylar bags end up in landfills unless they are reused or sent to a specialty recycling program.

Why Mylar Bags Are Difficult to Recycle

1. Composite Construction
Mylar bags are composed of several layers, such that when PET plastic is bonded with a layer of aluminum foil, it creates an impediment to efficient processing by the typical recycling processes available through most municipal and/or private recycle centers.

2. Non-biodegradable
Mylar bags are unable to biodegrade under general landfill conditions, thus placing greater importance on their reuse and proper disposal from an ecological perspective.

3. Limited Acceptance
Municipal recycling programs tend to be geared towards rigid plastics such as bottles and containers rather than flexible or laminated packaging.

What You Can Do With Used Mylar Bags

You may have Mylar bags already in your life and don't even realize how to use them, here are examples:

1. Research on local recycling: If you can't find a local recycling facility in your area call or contact them to see if they're able to accept this type of bondage.

2. Look for store drop-offs: Many local businesses have included boxes for the collection of flexible plastic materials e.g., Mylar, so don't forget about these drop-off points when looking for a recycling location.

3. Use a mail-in recycling program: You can send your used Mylar back through the mail by participating in a mail-out recycling program like TerraCycle. There might be a cost involved and many of them also provide funds to help promote social action, e.g., fundraising for environmental groups, or the like.

4. Re-use them: As long as they remain clean and dry Mylar is a durable product that is very useful for storing dry goods for an extended period and, therefore, can keep those items organized easily in addition to receiving multiple uses for non-food products.

5. Trash as a last resort: Throwing away Mylar bags should only be done when all else has failed; place the Mylar bag into a garbage bin as opposed to a recycle bin to avoid contaminating recyclable material with your Mylar bag.

Sustainable Alternatives

Packaging suppliers are continually working to improve their options by providing recyclable mylar bag alternatives that provide similar performance and better recyclability than traditional methods. Brands whose main goal is sustainability can achieve a more sustainable product by choosing manufacturers like Brandmydispo to create bags that meet their goals, while also maintaining excellent shelf life and product protection.

Are Mylar Bags Recyclable Curbside?

Generally speaking, curbside recycling program/collection do not include collecting Mylar bags from customers. Curbside recycling facilities can only process single-layered or mono-layered plastic materials, such as PET bottles/containers and HDPE (high density polyethylene) containers.

As Mylar bags are made up of multi-layered or composite plastics, they typically cannot be easily separated during the recycling process and will be considered "rejects." When Mylar bags are placed in the curbside recycling bins, they may create contaminants in the recycling stream and subsequently be sent to a landfill rather than being recycled.

What About Custom Mylar Bags?

Although custom Mylar bags are generally recyclable just like their generic counterparts (due primarily to the materials they're made of: multiple layers of aluminum film bonded to a layer of PET, polyethylene terephthalate), custom printing/finishes/branding typically doesn’t affect how a Mylar bag can be recycled through curbside programs.

Nevertheless, custom Mylar bags enable brands to be more creative about their sustainability practices. Increasingly, manufacturers are producing custom bags using either recyclable or mono-material structures, incorporating post-consumer recycled content, or designing them for reuse. Some feature re-closable zippers which encourage customers to reuse a bag rather than discarding it after one use.

While developing custom Mylar bags, businesses can consider ways to be sustainable while still providing their clients with excellent barrier protection, extended shelf-life for products, and excellent visible branding impact.

Are Mylar Bags Reusable?

Yes. The ability to reuse many of the Mylar bags available for purchase is one of the eco-friendly benefits of Mylar bags. They can be reused multiple times as food storage containers (with or without additional contents) and for organizing or storing items. Repeatedly using the bags creates less waste and extends the bags' lifecycle compared to one-time-use kinds of packaging if you know how to properly care for and use your Mylar bags. 

Read more in our blog post on the reusability of mylar bags.

So, Are Mylar Bags Recyclable?

Yes, Mylar bags are recyclable due to their PET content, but they are rarely accepted in curbside recycling because of their layered plastic and aluminum structure. Always check local guidelines before recycling, and prioritize reuse or specialty programs whenever possible. Never place Mylar bags in your blue bin unless your local recycling provider explicitly allows it.