Do you know how to recycle glass materials? If not, then this article is rightly yours.
We’ll discuss the types of glass you can and cannot reclaim, places to recycle these items, how to prepare for recycling, and more. Not to take too much of your time, let’s begin discussing.
Where to Recycle Glass Near Me
Are you looking for details about glass recycling near me? Then this article has all the information you need. We will respond to questions like, “Are old glass reclaimable?
If yes, what types of this material can be recycled? Where can I recycle my old glass for money? After answering these questions, we’ll discuss other stuff that concerns reclaiming this resource.
Is glassware recyclable? Yes. Let’s get into business right away.
About Glass Recycling
Glass is a valuable resource and can be used for various purposes.
These include packaging, construction, housewares, and other decorative purposes. However, it’s a fragile material that gets damaged by pressure, chemical means, or other forms of damage.
When this happens, you’ll be left with several disposal options. While some will think of throwing them in trash cans, others might want to recycle or reuse them.
Throwing unwanted glass in regular trash is terrible for the environment. The only way to go green is to recycle or upcycle your items.
Types of Glass You Can And CanNot Recycle
Glasses come in different types. While some of them are recyclable, others aren’t.
Therefore, you must know items you can reclaim to save time, energy, and resources. Now, the types of glass you can recycle are bottles of any color, jars, and non-food bottles.
Having seen the kind of glasses you can recycle above, let’s look at the ones you can not reclaim. Items like Pyrex, Corning, vases, window glasses, and other brands must be recyclable.
Such things have been treated with extreme heat. Therefore, it can’t be processed with ordinary food and beverage glassware.
Windshields and safety glasses are also not recyclable. They’re treated with a special coating so they don’t shatter. However, when mixed with other recyclables, they could ruin the batch of new containers.
The same is true with light bulbs and mirrors. These types of glasses are coated with unique materials to make them reflective. Unfortunately, those materials aren’t reclaimable.
How to Prepare Old Glass For Recycling
Recycling old or damaged glass is responsible for keeping the surrounding clean and healthy. But before you embark on such a mission, you must properly clean up these items.
Doing so will ensure a smooth reclaiming process and prevent reprocessing machinery from damaging.
To properly clean your scrap glass, wipe or rinse with clean water. You don’t need a bunch of water for the cleaning process. Once you’re done, allow the glass to get dried thoroughly.
After that, you collect them in a container and send them to the closest recycling facility.
Where to Take Scrap Glass For Recycling
Are you looking for where to reclaim your old or broken glasses? Look no further.
Several installations are open for glass recycling. Glass recycling centers are among the few facilities to recycle your scraps. Apart from them, you can reclaim your items in stores such as Wal-Mart, LensCrafters, and more.
Before you visit each of these recyclers, you must make inquiries.
First, ask them if they accept your type of glass for recycling. Secondly, inquire about their regulations regarding the disposal or recycling of this material.
You’ll also find out if they’re associated with recycling scrap glasses.
Finding a Glass Recycling Center
Finding a recycling center for your scrap glass isn’t a difficult task. You can start by searching online. Several classified websites feature a list of reputable glass reclaiming facilities.
You can visit either of these sites and locate the nearest facility. If the results you’re getting aren’t enough, you can narrow your search by typing “glass recycling centers” plus your location.
Moreover, you may contact your local waste management office for more details about recalling this material.
Alternatively, you can ask people around for directions. Your friends or family might know where you can locate a reclaiming facility.
So don’t exclude them from your list.
However, most glass recycling facilities are outside supermarkets and closed recycling centers. You can also find them at sports centers or other community buildings.
Procedure for Recycling Glass
Unfortunately, most consumers need to learn the procedures for recycling scrap glasses.
If you’re one of them, this is another golden opportunity. Here, we’ll highlight some steps after scrap glass is dropped off. Take a look at the paragraph below.
The first step to reclaim unwanted glasses is to haul them to the nearest reprocessing facility. Some municipalities and businesses may provide containers specifically to collect these items.
Once these materials are collected, they’ll be separated according to their types. Next, they’ll be forwarded to a recycling facility.
At the reprocessing center, scrap glass will be smashed into the cullet and mixed with new materials. After that, they’ll be heated up until the glass has liquefied.
After that, they’ll be poured into customized molds to make new items.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Glass Recycling Service
It’s essential to require a reliable and affordable glass recycling service. This will help you decide on whom to take your items for responsible recycling.
Some factors include the legislation that governs recycling unwanted glasses. Also, figure out if there’s a local glass reclaiming facility near you.
Other Companies You Can Trust for Glass Recycling
We have some commercial companies you can trust for your scrap glass recycling. These businesses will provide you with low-cost and reliable waste disposal solutions.
Among them are window/glass manufacturers, conservatory companies/filters, property maintenance companies, and home improvement.
Others include mirror/glass/glazing companies, double-glazed window companies, and Handy Man Type companies.
Advantages of Reclaiming Glass
There’re certain benefits associated with recycling old or broken glasses. A few of these perks include the conservation of natural resources and the promotion of environmental health.
According to experts, the glass produced from reclaimed glass air-related pollution by 20% and water-related pollution by 50%.
Furthermore, it saves energy in manufacturing new products from scratch and reduces disposal costs. To top it all, recycled glass reduces the landfill space that other materials would otherwise take up.
Challenges of Recycling Glass
You may be wondering if there’re challenges associated with recycling glass.
Yes! This method of disposal comes with its headaches. One is that most glass materials come to recycling facilities with lids, caps tagged, and labels.
Moreover, lesser quality items are being mixed in with higher quality glasses. This makes the recycling process complex and costly.
Breaking in the distribution chain is also becoming a common occurrence. This further demotivates those interested in embarking on this method of disposal.
Unfortunately, many people see the glass as a material not worth recycling. That’s because of the economics and challenges associated with the recycling process.
But as you can see above, the resources have significant long-term potential for reuse. Therefore, don’t just throw away your scrap glasses.