 Domestic waste glass (known as cullet) is easy to recycle. The UK currently recycles around 71% of container glass, like bottles and jars. The glass sector is working towards a 90% collection rate for glass by 2030.
Each time one tonne of glass is recycled, about 580kg CO2 is saved throughout the supply chain, air pollution is reduced by 20% and water pollution cut by 50%!
So recycling glass makes a huge difference. It can be collected in your green recycling bin. However, there is still more we can all do, such as remembering to recycle our clear glass jars which are often forgotten. There are also different types of glass which can’t be recycled. Our guide below explains what can and cannot go in your green bin.
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Glass bottles and jars can be recycled in your green recycling bin. You can include any colour glass bottle or jar and you can leave the labels on.
Please make sure all lids are loosely screwed back on, regardless of whether or not they are the same material.
Your glass bottles and jars should all be clean. Glass jars can also often be washed and reused. Please don’t put corks in your recycling bin.
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Drinking glasses cannot be recycled in your green recycling bin or at any Household Recycling Centre. Reusable drinking glasses could be donated to a charity shop or reused through a local reuse network such as Freecycle. Broken glasses should be wrapped and included in your black non-recycling kerbside bin.
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While pyrex ovenware is a type of glass - it has been specially treated in the manufacturing process to withstand high temperatures, which makes it non-recyclable.
It may be suitable for reuse through a local reuse network such as Freecycle or Freegle. There are now a large number of reuse groups on Facebook.
If you have broken or chipped pyrex ovenware to get rid of, do not recycle it with other glass items. Simply dispose of it carefully in your black rubbish bin or take to a local Household Recycling Centre and put into the waste to landfill container.
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You cannot put old spectacles in your green recycling bin; however, you can donate them to charity.
Ask your optician if they collect old spectacles. Many do - they are donated to charities who send them to developing countries.
Some charities unwanted spectacles at their shops.
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Learn more about what you can put in what bin
Like to know more about how glass is recycled? Watch Recycle Now’s video.
This year, Recycle Week runs from 20 – 26 September. This year the focus is on how recycling can help us fight climate change. Recycle Now we be calling on us all to ‘Step It Up’. The campaign will be highlighting how every day, through small but powerful habits – like recycling we can actively do something about the climate crisis. Look out for more information on our social media channels.
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