Envelopes

Burbank Recycle Center Drop-Off Recycle Container

Clean envelopes only; those with excessive adhesives should go in the trash.

Paper envelopes, manilla envelopes, and envelopes with a plastic window are all accepted in the recycling container.  Padded envelopes comprised of paper on the inside and bubble wrap on the outside should be placed in the trash.

Prep for recycling

  • Preferably, removing the plastic window helps with the recycling process.
  • Remove all contents from envelope. Paper is initially sorted by weight; additional contents can disrupt this process.
  • Removed inserts that are paper can be placed in the recycling.
  • Contents that are not recyclable include coins, plastic cards, mailing labels, and stickers.
  • Remove any sections that have glitter, foil, metal charms, felt cutouts, ribbons, or similar. All of these items will contaminate the paper recycling.
Envelope with Window

Glossy Paper and Plastic Windows OK

All paper products, including glossy paper, are recyclable. It is ideal to remove plastic windows from envelopes before recycling them, but it’s OK if you don’t.

Padded Envelope

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.

envelope

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

Junk Mail Pile

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.