Packing Peanuts Garbage Bin Several local businesses accept clean packing peanuts that are not mixed with any other material. Anything Goes811 Spring Street, Paso Robles, CA | (805) 239-1118Map & Directions Cheap Thrills & Recycled Records563 Higuera Street, San Luis Obispo, CA | (805) 544-0686Hours: Monday – Saturday 10am – 9pm, Sundays 11am – 5pmMap & Directions Mail Plus791 Price Street, Pismo Beach, CA | (805) 773-5106Hours: Monday – Friday 9am – 6pm, Saturdays 10am – 2pmMap & Directions Perry’s Parcel and Gift7395 El Camino Real, Atascadero, CA | (805) 466-3200Hours: Monday – Friday 8:30 am – 6pm, Saturdays 10am – 4pmMap & Directions785 Quintana Road, Morro Bay, CA | (805) 772-2000Hours: Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm, Saturdays 10am – 3pmMap & Directions Square Deal Recordings & Supplies2146 Parker Street #C2, San Luis Obispo, CA | (805) 543-3636Map & Directions All UPS and FedEx locations Packing Peanuts Are Not Recyclable Packing peanuts, which are made from plastic #6, never biodegrade. Because they are so light, they are also difficult to contain. They often fly out of the trash as well as landfills, contaminating the environment. Help Prevent Litter Packing peanuts are a lightweight material that easily find their way into the environment, where they can leach toxic chemicals. Make sure packing peanuts and other plastic #6 items don’t blow away by disposing of them properly. 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. 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. 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.