The Gripe With Recycling Glass

When you think of recyclables, do you think glass? A large majority of the population considers glass a recyclable item while recycling companies see it as a material full of problems. Breakage, contamination of mixed recycling and jamming of sorting equipment are just some of the reasons that glass is the least desirable material put into recycling bins.

It wasn’t always this way. In 1967, there were 40 glass container manufacturers in the United States operating 112 plants in 27 states. But over time, manufacturers gravitated towards aluminum and various plastic materials as a less expensive and time consuming way of creating the same container space. Today, there are only 17 manufacturers still in business operating just 75 plants nationwide.

Even though less companies are manufacturing glass containers, there is still a push by both citizens and municipalities to continue recycling glass even if that means incurring higher costs. One of the main reasons is that the cost of collecting and processing glass is still cheaper and more sustainable than land filling it. The weight and volume is also a bonus for cities who are trying to increase their diversion goals. Glass accounts for almost 5% of the solid waste stream and with many items not able to be recycled they simply cannot afford to walk away from a material that can be diverted from the landfill.

For most of the industries that utilize recycled glass for their products, it is imperative that the glass be sorted by color before they are able to purchase and reuse. There are 3 colors of glass manufactured; clear, green and brown. Brown is the most popular because it’s dark color can extend the life of products that would otherwise go bad from too much exposure to the elements (like beer and wine.) The process of collecting glass and then unloading it from the trucks that pick it up causes much of the glass to break, creating a sorting nightmare. The volume that is unusable by bottle makers is a fraction of what is left literally on the cutting room floor. Cities nationwide are trying to use the breakage in new and creative ways such as “glassphalt” or “glasscaping” in medians. But it has become apparent that more ways need to be invented and implemented in order to keep up with the volume being hauled in each week.

Glass is a temperamental material. Contaminants can disrupt the melting process. Specialty cookware such as heat-resistant baking dishes and utensils withstand the normal melting process and they can corrode furnace linings. The gripe with glass recycling goes on and on….

Glass recycling will continue and should continue because it is the compassionate thing to do for our planet if we want future generations to be able to thrive. While it may not be an easy task it is without a doubt worth the effort. In a day and age where quantity seems to always trump quality and cash is king, it is important for society to stand up and take responsibility for what happens to products that we chemically create for convenience and profit. Glass is no exception to that rule.