Glass is a popular item found in almost all households, and this is because it has numerous uses. One, you can use glass as a drinking vessel to consume water, juice, or any other liquid. You can also use glass as a storage unit for flowers; in this case, it serves as a vase.
Sometimes, when the glass is shaped into a stunning piece of art, it is used as a decoration. In as much as glass has numerous uses, there are instances where accidents occur, and the glass shatters into pieces. In such circumstances, the only option you have is disposal. The question is, how do you go about glass disposal?
Here we will talk about the ways of safely disposing of glass waste, but before that, we will first cover what impact glass has on landfills.
How glass ends up in landfills?
The assumption that glass is useless once it’s broken and the emergence of single-stream recycling has caused its accumulation of about 1.2 million tonnes in landfills. This is a significant amount of glass that could have been recycled.
There are many reasons why some glass fails to be recycled. It’s difficult to sort, sometimes damage the equipment in recycling facilities, and even contaminate other recyclable materials.
But we shouldn’t lose hope. Many companies and government recycling programs have now risen to address this issue. It’s time we up our glass disposal with these six best methods available in Australia.
1. Throwing away in the garbage bin
Once the glass has shattered into pieces, there is little you can do. The only thing left to do is throw the pieces in a garbage bin so that they do not end up hurting anyone in the house. Here are the steps of glass removal using a garbage bin.
Process:
- Collect the pieces.
- Pick up all the large pieces and put them in one place.
- Sweep all the smaller pieces and place them at the same place you put the other large ones.
- Wrap the pieces in a strong cloth.
- Wrap all the broken pieces, large and small, in a strong cloth that the glass cannot cut through easily. Other than being strong, make sure that the cloth is big enough to contain all the pieces together.
- Use a cello tape to secure the cloth and keep all the pieces inside so that none of them falls out.
- Once the pieces in the cloth are appropriately sealed, pick up a hammer and break all of them to tiny pieces of glass for easier handling.
- Check the area for any pieces that may have managed to escape out of the cloth. Doing so ensures that nobody steps onto the glass pieces.
- Place the cloth with pieces of glass in a box.
- Place the wrapped cloth in a box, seal it, and indicate that there is broken glass inside.
2. Glass Recycling
One of the best ways to go about glass waste removal is through recycling. Recycling plants have the necessary equipment to repurpose your shattered pieces of glass and make something new.
Glass manufacturing emits 86 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, a potent greenhouse gas, each year. But, most of these can be reduced through recycling, making glass recycling a critical movement to address global warming. Apart from eco-friendliness, this method also produces stronger and more durable bottles than reused bottles.
Depending on the type of glass, many recycling companies can help you in glass removal and work wonders with what you consider waste. All you have to do is collect all the broken pieces and place them in one cloth. After that, place the cloth in a container/box to ensure that everything stays in one place to help in the carrying process. Make sure you give the recycling plant a call so that they can make necessary arrangements, especially if you broke a large glass item, and there are many pieces.
Making these calls enables the team at the plant to put everything in order and probably connect you to their driver in case they are making stops close to your area. In case the truck does not pick up the pieces, carry the entire box to the plant. Make sure you do not take the cloth out of the box until you reach the recycling plant.
3. Upcycling Glass – Home Exterior
Glass is known for its durability, strength, and other stellar physical properties, so why not make use of it in your garden preparations?
The following are some innovative ideas for your garden beautification and overall improvement.
- Garden Tiles
Apart from being durable, glass also resists stains and offers excellent light reflections that make your outdoor tiles pleasing and easy to maintain.
- Fire Pit Topping
Glass can withstand high temperatures and comes in various colours and shapes. These are essential characteristics to look for fire pit toppings that could disperse the flame without compromising aesthetics.
- Garden Installment Art
As mentioned, glass is easy to maintain, colourful, and durable. Thus, it’s also possible to make sculptures and decorative walls from this versatile material.
4. Upcycling Glass – Home Interior
If you can’t donate your glass remains, then take the creative route!
Glass comes in many colours, shapes, and designs. Hence, there are hundreds of things you can work on with it.
You can make glass chandeliers, shelves, table lamps, and even candle holders. The list could go on, and you still won’t run out of ideas for your glass extravagant.
5. Glass Donations
If you have items with glass in good condition, like outdated eyeglasses, it’s now easier to donate them to charities and Optometrists near your area. Some of these are the following:
With these organisations and clinics, you’re preventing glass pieces from ending up in landfills. At the same time, you’re helping those who cannot afford to correct their visions to see the wonders of the world once more.
Other than eyeglasses, you can also return your glass bottles and be refunded through the government’s Return and Earn program. More than that, you can also donate your refunds to the ‘Bottles Can Change Lives’ recycling appeal, which supports Aussies struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic.
6. Contact a Junk Removal Company
If you lack the necessary expertise to get rid of glass waste, you can contact a nearby waste management firm to help you with glass waste removal. Such experts have the required skills and knowledge needed to take care of the broken pieces and ensure that your home is safe from any tiny pieces unseen by the naked eye.
Glass waste disposal is a tricky affair as you need to be very careful with every price of glass you deal with since a simple mistake could cause severe damages. For proper glass disposal, you can choose to throw the pieces way in a rubbish bin, but make sure you wrap all the pieces in a cloth. After that, put the cloth in a box, label it then throw it in the rubbish bin. You can also choose to recycle the pieces of glass by taking them to the recycling plant.
For peace of mind, contact a glass waste removal service such as Paul’s Rubbish Removal. We are your best choice of rubbish removal in Sydney. We’ll make sure that all the glass is cleaned up and disposed of properly to avoid any injuries or accidents on your property.
