How to Recycle Plastic Mailers and Courier Satchels in Australia
By Lottie Dalziel, Founder of Banish · Last updated: April 2026
Quick answer: Plastic courier satchels and bubble mailers are soft plastics and cannot go in the kerbside yellow-lid bin. They need to be recycled through a soft plastics collection program. The best option in Australia is Soft Plastics Stewardship Australia (SPSA), which accepts these items at participating supermarket collection points.
Online shopping has made plastic mailers one of the fastest-growing sources of household plastic waste in Australia. Every parcel delivery brings another plastic satchel into your home and most of them have nowhere to go except landfill.
Australia's online retail sector generates tens of millions of plastic mailers each year. The good news is that soft plastic recycling is returning to Australia through the SPSA scheme, and plastic mailers are one of the items they accept.
Types of plastic mailers you can recycle
- Standard plastic courier satchels the sealed poly bags most clothing and small goods arrive in
- Bubble mailers the padded envelopes with bubble wrap lining
- Co-ex mailers the opaque white or grey satchels used by major retailers
- Plastic newspaper bags and magazine wrap
- Plastic film from product packaging the outer shrink wrap on boxed products
- Air cushion packaging the inflatable plastic pillows used as void fill
Not accepted for soft plastic recycling
- Paper-based padded mailers (these have cardboard or paper padding, not plastic bubble wrap they can go in your yellow bin)
- Compostable or biodegradable mailers (labelled AS 5810 require industrial composting)
- Mailers with significant amounts of tape that can't be removed
How to prepare plastic mailers for recycling
- Remove all labels and tape where possible. While some residual adhesive is acceptable, removing labels and packing tape improves the quality of the recycled material.
- Remove any paper components. Some mailers have paper return labels or cardboard inserts inside. Remove and recycle these separately in your yellow bin.
- Flatten and stack. Plastic mailers flatten completely. A stack of 20 satchels weighs almost nothing.
- Deflate air cushions. Puncture and flatten any air pillow packaging before dropping off.
Where to recycle plastic mailers in Australia
Option 1: SPSA collection points (recommended)
Soft Plastics Stewardship Australia (SPSA) operates collection bins at participating Coles and Woolworths supermarkets. Plastic mailers and courier satchels are accepted as part of the soft plastics stream. Visit spsa.au to find your nearest collection point.
Option 2: Council drop-off
Some councils accept soft plastics at Community Recycling Centres or transfer stations. Check your council's website or use Recycling Near You to find what's accepted near you.
Reducing plastic mailer waste at the source
Recycling is great, but reducing waste at the source is even better. When shopping online, you can:
- Choose retailers that use paper-based or cardboard packaging
- Consolidate orders to reduce the number of individual parcels
- Write to your favourite brands and ask them to switch to compostable or paper-based mailers
- Support brands that offer refill or reuse programs for their packaging
- Reuse mailers for storage, posting your own items, or as bin liners before recycling
What about other hard-to-recycle items?
Plastic mailers are soft plastics and belong at SPSA collection points — not in BRAD. However, if you have other hard-to-recycle items like blister packs, beauty packaging, old toothbrushes, or writing instruments, the BRAD (Banish Recycling and Diversion) Program accepts those via post from anywhere in Australia.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can plastic satchels go in the yellow recycling bin?
No. Plastic courier satchels are soft plastics and cannot go in the kerbside recycling bin. Like plastic bags, they jam sorting machinery and contaminate the recycling stream. Drop them at an SPSA collection point instead.
Can bubble mailers be recycled?
Yes, through soft plastic recycling. Remove any paper or cardboard components first. The plastic bubble wrap portion and the outer polyethylene envelope are both accepted at SPSA collection points.
Do I need to remove the address label before recycling a plastic mailer?
Yes, where possible. Removing labels and tape improves the quality of the recycled material. It's also a good privacy practice.
Can I recycle compostable mailers through soft plastic recycling?
No. Compostable mailers labelled AS 5810 are not suitable for soft plastic recycling. They require industrial composting conditions. Check whether your council offers FOGO or food-and-organics bins that accept these.
Can I recycle plastic mailers through BRAD?
No. BRAD does not accept soft plastics, including plastic mailers. For soft plastic recycling, use an SPSA collection point at a participating supermarket.