Many people do not recycle because they are unsure of the proper method to dispose of reusable items. Urban recycling legends become commonly accepted, further impeding the salvaging process. Glass is a great material to recycle because it can be melted down and reused limitlessly without degradation to its quality.
1- Dirty Glass Can’t Be Recycled
It’s always better to remove food or residue before recycling. This reduces odor and the threat of bugs or scavengers wherever recycled items are stored. However, when glass is salvaged, it goes through a cleaning and heating procedure to remove labels and residue. If there are trace remains in a glass, don’t use that as a reason to not recycle.
2- All Glass Items are Recyclable
Not true. Unfortunately ceramics, light bulbs, mirrors, Pyrex, frosted glass, and windows cannot be recycled because of the way they are manufactured.
3- All Recycling Must be Pre-sorted
Many localities have moved toward single-stream recycling, which means your glass containers can be placed in the same bin as your plastic and paper recyclables. Follow local signage, however, and ifpre-sorting is requested, please act accordingly.
4- Broken Glass Can be Treated Like Unbroken Glass
Many recycling centers will not accept broken glass, presumably due to safety concerns. Workers handling the salvageable items may injure themselves by handling the shards. It’s always helpful to check with your local recycling plant to confirm what they will accept. Learn more about glass recycling from CRV glass recycling in Santa Clara by clicking here.
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