Glass recycling 101

Glass is one of the most popular materials recycled today, both because of the purity of the ingredients and the quick turnaround of recycling. Your glass containers actually begin their life as readily-available domestic materials, such as sand, soda ash or limestone.
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Glass makes up a large component of household and industrial waste due to its weight and density. It is not biodegradable, and so, can have negative impacts on the environment and/or health through the accumulation of litter. In addition, broken glass is often a key factor in starting bush fires, which can have a devastating effect on the environment and impact on the health of nearby populations.

Why recycle glass
The good news is that glass is 100% recyclable with no loss to quality or purity of new product. Scrap glass or cullet, as it is more commonly known, is a key production ingredient added to the raw materials used to produce glass. Recycling glass containers provides for unmatched production efficiencies and significant environmental benefits.

• ​Saves raw materials - Over a ton of natural resources are conserved for every ton of glass recycled, including 1,300 pounds of sand, 410 pounds of soda ash, 380 pounds of limestone, and 160 pounds of feldspar.
• Lessens the demand for energy - Energy costs drop about 2-3% for every 10% cullet used in the manufacturing process.
• Cuts CO2 emissions - For every six tons of recycled container glass used, a ton of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, is reduced. A relative 10% increase in cullet reduces particulates by 8%, nitrogen oxide by 4%, and sulphur oxides by 10%.
• Extends furnace life - Including cullet in the manufacturing mix makes it less corrosive and lowers the melting temperature (from 2800 degrees F. to 2600 degrees F.), prolonging furnace life.
• No processing by-products - Glass recycling is a closed-loop system, creating no additional waste or by-products.

What to Recycle 
Recycle Glass Containers Only​ - Check to make sure it’s a bottle or jar.

• Iced tea and soda bottles
• Food jars
• Beer bottles
• Wine and liquor bottles
• Juice and water containers

Keep It Clean - Keep out all non-container glass.

• Ceramic coffee cups
• Drinking glasses
• Mirrors
• Pyrex
• Light bulbs

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