Glass has a broad spectrum of uses where Sydney, like any other cities in the world, becomes dependent on the functionality it provides. Its role in household furniture to commercial and industrial purposes skyrocketed glass production ‒ giving rise to challenges as glasses degrade in a million year or more.
In effect, the existing glass in waste production implies a negative environmental impact as it takes an eternity to decompose in the landfills. Fortunately, glass is 100% recyclable that can transform into usable form without losing its quality and purity.
But the recyclable feature of glass doesn’t mean you can throw all types of glasses in your bin. It’s necessary to take note that recycling facilities have different requirements to accept glass rubbish. A broken and contaminated glass deems unacceptable for the recycling facilities.
Also, you can’t just throw broken or contaminated glass as it poses risks to anyone collecting it. When the recycling facilities don’t accept the glass rubbish, it will end up in the landfills. Throwing glass rubbish in the bins has a high chance that it will end up with the same outcome.
On that, it’s considerably enough reasons to end discarding your glass rubbish in bins and start recycling it.
What Types of Glass Can You Recycle
The recycling facilities make use of rubbish glasses to transform them into new glass containers and fibreglass. They accept the clear, green or brown bottle and glass containers. But other types of glass are not allowed in the glass recycling bin. It includes the following:
- Glass cookware (Pyrex)
- Ceramics
- Glass windowpane
- Glassware in mixed colours
- Mirror glass and crystals
- Old light bulbs and cathode ray tube
- Any broken and contaminated glass
Putting these in the recyclable bins is a chaotic move. These glasses have different melting points that can complicate things when melted in the recycling facilities.
Most of the material recovery facilities focus on making glass containers and bottles for food. The usage of different types of glass in productions of bottles and containers can cause it to shatter during the cooling process in the facility.
Moreover, some of the glasses in the list such as glass windowpane have chemical coatings to make it durable. Throwing it in the recycling bin can inevitably contaminate the glass products produced in the recycling facilities. Thus it’s inefficient to throw any glass to your bins, and this should urge you to recycle glass.
Effective Ways to Glass Recycling
It might be helpful to think that next time you put all the glasses in your bins, it might end up in landfills. But you don’t want that to happen. Here are the effective ways to recycle your glasses:
Bring Glass Rubbish Directly to Drop-Off Centre
Your glass recycling bin won’t allow many types of glasses because recycling facilities don’t need those. If you have light bulbs or CFL with a small amount of mercury, you can bring it to drop-off stations or some hardware stores.
The drop-off facilities can recycle these glasses with hazardous chemicals. You can also put your ceramics, LED light bulbs and glass mirrors for the more efficient recycling process. Keep in mind to directly take these glasses in drop-off centres or recycling facility area the next time you think of discarding it in the bins.
Donate Old Glass Rubbish
If you’re planning to throw away glassware and drinking glasses that are in good condition, it’s a greener move to give it off. Your drinking glasses, for example, have a higher melting point compared to food glass containers. Once thrown in the recycling bins, it’s not helpful and screws up the process in the recycling facility.
In many cases, you might find organizations in your area accepting old glass windows and doors. They donate these glass stuff in poor families that cannot afford to buy one. Every time you have old glass that you won’t need, you can always give it as other homes might find it still reusable.
Repurpose Glass for Decorative Items
The best thing with glasses is that it’s useful when it comes to creating beautiful furniture and decorative accessories. You can put your old glasses into good use as vases and sorting bowl for garage or office supplies. Many do-it-yourself chandeliers also require colourful crystals for an elevated style.
Moreover, you can also use old bottles in making planters and bird feeders. Repurposing your glasses with light fixtures and outdoor lighting give new colours and ambience to your surrounding. You only need a creative mind to repurpose glasses as a new level of recycling.
Conclusion
Recycling any glass can help conserve raw materials, save energy, reduce landfill and carbon dioxide emissions. These are the reasons why you shouldn’t throw glass rubbish in the bin and start recycling those in your little ways. You can directly send it to drop-off centres, donate and repurpose it to ensure an effective recycling process.
Moreover, glasses thrown in the landfill can take millions of years to decompose. With that in mind, many future generations will possibly use the glasses we have today. It’s our responsibility to recycle glass to prevent resources exhaustion and damaging our environment.
Paul’s Rubbish Removal can help you effectively recycle glasses by transporting it directly to recycling facilities. As much as we care for the environment, we ensure that all the collected glasses will be recycled and reused. Also, our team provides all sorts of rubbish removal job in your community as we advocate a cleaner and greener world for more than a decade.
Call us on 0407 125 125 for a free quote today, and we’ll arrive on time to help you.
