Here is a brief overview of the recycling process that shows the infinite loop of glass recycling. There are many steps that occur after glass is dropped off/picked up and before it makes it’s way back onto shelves for consumption. Many consumers of glass products place their empty glass bottles in curbside pick-up containers or take them to local recycling facilities and never think about what happens beyond that. If there is a cork left in the bottle that is fine as well. Wine bottles can absolutely be recycled.Food, wax, and other non-toxic particles do not have to be rinsed prior to recycling glass, although it will not hurt either.If you can, please remove bottle caps, but this step is not mandatory.So if you were avoiding recycling because you didn’t want to peel off the old labels, it’s ok, go ahead and toss them in the recycle bin. These will burn off during the recycling process. Labels on jars and bottles do not have to be removed.If you are ever in doubt, the best course of action is to contact your local recycling center or county recycling service and ask if your items can be recycled or disposed of in the normal waste bin. Mirrors are not accepted at most facilities because they have a special coating that makes the glass reflective.Light bulbs have many different elements other than glass and cannot be recycled with regular food and drink bottles.When mixed in with other glass this can ruin the batch of new containers. Windshields and safety glass have been treated with special coating so they do not shatter.This is because these items have been treated to withstand extreme heat and cannot be processed with ordinary food and beverage glassware. Cookware such as Pyrex, Corning, and other brands are not recyclable.Not All Glass is Recyclableīefore running down to the closest recycling center or dumping all your glass items in the curbside bin it is important to know which glass items can and cannot be recycled. Once you get a decent amount, take it on down to the nearest glass recycling center near you. So, before you go toss out all those bottles from your last football party, or backyard BBQ, just grab a large bag or bin, and start collecting. Common sense when washing is your best weapon. Even considering water usage to clean your glass bottles, it’s certainly less than the water it would take to produce virgin glass. Obviously, you don’t need to waste a bunch of water on this process the last thing we need is water waste to recycle glass. It’s always a good idea to have cleaned, wiped or rinsed out your glass containers. Try to get to your location on the earlier side and you should be just fine. Those that get there before you could have been collecting for months and months and can take quite a while to go through their collections. Come prepared to spend a little time there, as there will most likely be a line of people in front of you when you arrive. While there are quite a few glass recycling centers in your area, make sure to check the hours of operation for these places. It is said that the cost for energy drops by 2-3% for every 10% recycled glass containers used in the manufacturing process.
It helps to reduce carbon dioxide, thereby reducing our carbon footprint. It also helps to conserve natural resources for every ton of glass recycled, a ton of these resources are saved. For example, recycling just one glass bottle saves enough energy to power your computer for a half hour, or keep a light bulb lit for 4 hours. Local Glass Recycling LocationsĪside from the money you can get for recycling glass there are several other reasons to recycle glass bottles.
So, remember to separate them before taking them to a local recycle facility for money. It also has the highest value of all curbside glass, and can be sold to manufacturers for immediate recycling. It also helps to speed up the process that turns old bottles and jars into new ones. It helps to reduce the cost and energy needed for recycling. Separating your glass bottles by color is a good habit to get into, as well. How Is Glass Recycled? Glass Recycle Center LocatorĬalifornia Redemption Value is paid on the following types of beverages: Coffee, tea, soft drinks, sports drinks, carbonated and non-carbonated water, and beer.