Almost any glass container is recyclable.
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Everyday we encounter products containing glass; unfortunately, they make up a large percentage of our municipal solid waste stream. In 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency noted that although glass mainly enters our trash in the form of bottles and jars, it also appears in everything from appliances and electronics to furniture (see References 1, page 43). Learning the types of glass that are recyclable, and the proper ways to recycle them, is important in assuring that our used glass doesn't go to waste.
Items you will need:
- Recycle bins
Call your local public works department to learn about curbside, drop-off or bottle deposit collection sites, and if there are any special regulations or restrictions concerning glass recycling.
Sort glass by type. You can only recycle glass containers in most recycling programs. Remove all broken glass, and non-recyclables such as glassware, light bulb, mirrors or pottery. (See References 2 and 3)
Remove any possible contaminants, such as dirt, lids, rings or collars around bottlenecks; remove any containers containing hazardous materials, such as acids (see References 4).
Separate out bottles for which you've paid a deposit, and sort all containers by color, if required.
Bring your recyclables curbside, to the drop-off center, or the bottle collection center if your state has a mandatory beverage container deposit program.
Donate or sell reusable non-recyclable glass, so that dishes, glassware, crystal and other glass products don't end up in a landfill (see References 2).
Eulalia Palomo has been a freelance writer since 2009, with her work appearing on various websites. She has studied herbal and alternative medicine and worked as a landscape artist and gardener. Palomo holds a Bachelor of Arts in liberal studies from Boston University.
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