How can we dispose of Mylar (balloons) correctly?
Mylar is the most common trade name for (are you ready?) biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate. For our purposes, let’s just stick to using the trade name, shall we? Doypack Kraft Paper Bag
Mylar is a type of plastic film made by essentially stretching the same type of plastic resin used to make single-use water bottles. It can then be given a metallic coating, making for those reflective balloons and reflective (and impossible to fold) gift wraps. In terms of recyclability, it is this reflective property that causes confusion.
When it comes to metal, we accept metal cans, lids, and foil in your recycling bin or cart (that’s it — no other metal). Mylar is actually a plastic film in metallic clothing. It takes on a foil-like appearance, so if you’ve been duped by it in the past don’t feel bad. It falls into a category of materials called “hybrids,” and I’ve mentioned before that there are two types of hybrids: those that are clearly made of near-equal parts of different materials (e.g. that plastic bubble wrap-lined paper envelope) and those that aren’t, at least not to the naked eye. Mylar is a prime example of the latter type of hybrid: it looks mostly like foil, feels sort of like plastic, and turns out, it’s both.
So what should you do with your deflated Mylar balloons then, K.B.? The simple answer is place them in the trash. If you are willing to do a bit more, tie them in a knot or two first. Lightweight film is prone to becoming windblown litter between set-out on your curb and compaction in the Central Landfill. Tying film in a knot makes it harder for the wind to carry it away.
If you were wondering about alternatives to the landfill, reuse is your only option. Though Mylar is a plastic film, it doesn’t stretch at all (try to force it over your thumb and it will tear). This inability to stretch means you can’t drop it off at large grocery, pharmacy, or big-box stores with other plastic bags and films that do. To give it a second life, consider re-purposing it as gift wrap: Place a smaller box in the center of the balloon, print side up, and tightly gather all edges around it, securing the balloon over the box with a piece of ribbon.
Finally, let me mention another hybrid that wears a similar disguise to Mylar, and about which I get a lot of questions: juice pouches. These popular shiny pouches are a sort of plastic and aluminum sandwich, laminated with more plastic. They belong in the trash, too; although schools can search for a special mail-in recycling program for these that can double as a fundraiser at https://www.terracycle.com. Don’t forget that regular old juice cartons (boxes) are recyclable in your bin or cart when empty.
Zip Lock Kraft Paper Pouch — Krystal Noiseux is the education and outreach manager at RIRRC. Send your question, including the city or town you’re writing from, to Trash Tutorial, Features Department, The Providence Journal, 75 Fountain St., Providence, RI 02902. Or email features@providencejournal.com, and put "Trash Tutorial" in the subject field.