Is glass recyclable?
Absolutely! Nearly any type of glass can be recycled and is one of the cheapest and most efficient materials to recycle. Furthermore, glass is infinitely recyclable without any reduction in quality. The production of recycled glass uses 35% less energy than making glass from raw materials, in turn producing less greenhouse gases.
Glass is one material that we don’t necessarily need to cut back on using—in fact, we should actually consider increasing its usage as a more sustainable alternative to plastic. Glass is much more environmentally friendly than plastic: it is non-toxic and composed of natural substances like sand and limestone, whereas plastic is fossil fuel-based, contains numerous chemicals (some toxic), and is not biodegradable, creating pervasive microplastics.
Today, Americans recycle about one-third of glass annually. Unfortunately, glass is not biodegradable and takes about 4,000 years (some sources say a million years) to break down in a landfill, occupying precious space. Because of the high recyclability of this material and potential for infinite reuse, the landfill is the last place that glass should end up.
But first…repurposing glass
Glass is a durable material and easily reusable for a wide variety of applications. Before recycling, consider repurposing glass jars or bottles for other uses. Need some ideas?
What to do with glass bottles
Years ago, at a local farmers’ market, I came across my favorite repurposed glass pieces to date: a set of drinking glasses cut from High West whiskey bottles by a creative genius. There are so many unique and beautiful bottles that could be used, either as a DIY project or with the services of a local glass-cutting business. Bottles could also be cut to become a planter or terrarium, a candle, or a bird feeder.
You can also upcycle glass bottles as unique vases or other decor, to store bulk ingredients (such as vinegar), cold brewing tea, refrigerating iced coffee, propagating plant cuttings, or to hold soap or shampoo refills–complete with a pump. Check Pinterest for a plethora of additional ideas.
Reuses for glass jars
Even more versatile than bottles are glass jars, which can be used to store just about anything. Like bottles, they make great vases for centerpieces, planters, candle holders (or candles if you want to pour your own wax), or drinking glasses. You can store loose change (swear jar?), writing utensils, makeup brushes, toothbrushes, or kitchen utensils. They are a fantastic budget-friendly option for multiple uses.
Perhaps the easiest way to upcycle glass jars is for food storage. Reuse lids, too, or if needed, I love plastic-free lids: Try Ball’s acacia wood or stainless steel jar lids.
- Gifts, like pancake or brownie mix
- Foods originally packaged in plastic
- Leftovers
- Freeze foods for later
- Snacks
- Bulk foods
- Jam, jellies, or sauces
- Sourdough starter
- Spices
- Herbs – dried or fresh. (Put fresh cilantro or parsley stem-side down in an inch of water, lid on, and it will last much longer than in a produce bag!)
For even more versatility, check out Mason Jar Lifestyle–a small family-owned business in Colorado. There, you can find all kinds of accessories to transform any jar into a baby bottle, oil cruet, hand soap dispenser, tiki torch, and more.
How to recycle glass
Even if you don’t partake of wine or beer, you probably use a lot more glass bottles than you think…pickle jars, jams, salsa, condiments, and beauty products. And if you are trying to decrease the amount of plastic in your life, your glass packaging will likely increase–yay!
In general, collect glass separately from the rest of your mixed recycling (plastic, paper, and aluminum) unless otherwise directed by your local recycler. Most prefer to collect glass apart from other recyclables because shards of broken glass can contaminate other materials, making them difficult to recycle. Buyers of recyclable materials will pay less for these commodities (especially paper) if collected along with glass, which is not financially beneficial for the collecting municipalities and companies.
Check with your local municipality to see if curbside glass pickup is available. If not, or if you don’t want to pay for this service, find your nearest drop-off location. They are often located in parking lots of grocery stores or parks.
What types of glass can be recycled?
Empty glass bottles, jars, and vials of any color from items like beverages, condiments, jarred foods, oil & vinegar, spices, sauces, vases, drinking glasses & cups, and beauty product containers. You can recycle broken glass.
- Remove corks, caps, and lids and recycle separately as able.
- You do not need to wash or rinse the glass, nor do you need to remove the labels.
- Keep bottles and jars loose–do not bag.
What glass items are not recyclable?
Ceramics or pottery, including dishes. Donate if in good condition; otherwise, broken items will most likely need to be landfilled. Some recycling facilities that accept bricks and concrete may also accept ceramics, so check with a paving recycler near you.
Pyrex – This glass has been treated to withstand very high temperatures, so it cannot be recycled with regular glass. I contacted the company, and they don’t offer a recycling service. They suggested contacting the local municipality and retailers, but I haven’t been able to find anything–locally or mail-in.
Mirrors – The glass has a reflective coating on the back that renders it non-recyclable.
Fish tanks/Aquariums – Donate or sell. Or try one of these upcycling ideas. I haven’t found any recycling options.
The following items can be recycled, but not with standard glass collection services.
- Windshields – Check with companies like Safelite about their recycling programs.
- Light bulbs – Besides glass, light bulbs contain metal and other materials (some hazardous) that are difficult to separate from the glass portion and require special handling. Learn how to recycle light bulbs here.
- Windows – Learn how to recycle windows.
Glass recycling FAQ
Why do I have to pay for glass recycling?
Recycling glass is not profitable; it often costs more to collect, sort, and haul than processors can earn by selling it. One reason for this is the increased fuel costs of transportation due to the heavy weight of glass.
Why can’t I add glass to other recycling?
Glass will inevitably break, contaminating other items and decreasing their value. Broken shards of glass are also likely to damage sorting equipment.
Do I need to do anything to the glass first?
Always check with your glass recycling company. In general, as long as the glass receptacle is empty, it should be ok. If there is a lot of food residue present, a quick rinse is all that is needed. Labels do not need to be removed.
What happens to the glass?
Glass ends up in a recycling facility, where it is processed to make new glass or other materials such as insulation. Below is a super cool video highlighting the glass recycling process at Momentum Recycling’s facility in Salt Lake City, the only one of its kind in the state of Utah.
Final thoughts on glass recycling
Participation in glass recycling has a lot of room for improvement. Being infinitely recyclable and using much less energy than producing new glass makes this process a very sustainable practice. It is even more important when purchasing products packaged in glass bottles and jars rather than plastic. Glass is much better for the environment than plastic, but it isn’t biodegradable, so unless recycled, the benefits of this alternative are largely negated.
Not all areas are lucky enough to have curbside collections, but many have convenient drop-off locations. Start collecting your glass bottles and containers in a bin under the sink or in the garage, and make it a habit to toss them into your nearest glass collection bin every week or two.