Recycling glass
Glass food and beverage containers can be melted and formed into new containers again and again. That is the useful part of the story. The practical part is narrower: most household programs want bottles and jars, not every object that happens to be glass, and some cities do not collect glass at the curb at all. Always read the list for your address before you set a bottle out.
What the latest EPA figures show
EPA’s national Facts and Figures are current through calendar year 2018. On the glass material-specific page, EPA reports that 12.3 million tons of glass were generated in municipal solid waste, or 4.2 percent of all MSW. About 3.1 million tons of glass containers were recycled, a 31.3 percent recycling rate for containers. About 1.6 million tons of glass were combusted with energy recovery, and landfills received about 7.6 million tons.
The overall recycling rate for all glass in MSW, including glass that is not packaging, was 25.0 percent in 2018 (3.06 million tons recycled out of 12.25 million tons generated), as shown in the same table and in EPA’s 2018 fact sheet. Container glass is the fraction programs are designed to take.
EPA’s How do I recycle common recyclables? page notes that making new glass from recycled glass is typically cheaper than starting with raw materials, and that container glass can be recycled repeatedly.
What belongs in the bin
Where glass is accepted curbside, the usual set is empty bottles and jars — clear, green, and brown mixed together in most single-stream programs. EPA says most curbside programs accept different colors mixed and sort them later. A smaller number of communities still ask residents to separate colors or to take glass to a drop-off instead of the cart.
Some states also run container-deposit programs, which can send bottles back through retailers or redemption centers rather than the curbside cart. That is a local rule, not a national one. If your state has a deposit, follow that system for the containers it covers.
Keep these out of the glass or mixed-recycling cart unless your program expressly lists them:
- Broken bottles and jars. EPA’s guidance is not to put broken glass in the recycling bin, because shards can injure workers and damage equipment. Wrap it safely and use the trash, or ask your hauler if there is another option.
- Drinking glasses, cookware, Pyrex or other heat-resistant glass, ceramics, mirrors, window glass, and light bulbs. These are made to different recipes and melt at different temperatures from container glass. Mixing them in can spoil a load of bottles and jars. Some of those items have a separate drop-off; most do not go with the jars.
- Lids and metal bottle caps. EPA says metal bottle caps should be recycled separately from the glass bottles. Many programs want the cap off and, if it is metal, in with the cans; confirm locally.
How to prepare glass
- Empty the bottle or jar. A quick rinse is enough; you do not need it to be spotless.
- Remove the lid or cap and recycle each part the way your program directs.
- Leave labels on if your hauler does not ask you to peel them. Most facilities can handle a paper label.
- Do not break glass on purpose to save space.
Recycled container glass is crushed into cullet and melted into new bottles and jars. The load has to stay fairly clean for that to work, which is why cookware and window glass are kept out and why food residue should be rinsed away. If your city does not collect glass at the curb, look for a bottle drop-off, a retailer redemption point, or a listing on Earth911. See also Where Can I Recycle? and Recyclable Materials.
Frequently asked questions
Can all glass go in the recycling cart?
No. Programs that take glass usually want bottles and jars only. Cookware, ceramics, mirrors, windows, and bulbs are typically left out because they are a different kind of glass. Check the local list.
Can I recycle broken glass?
EPA says broken glass should not go in the recycling bin, because it can harm workers and damage equipment. Use the trash, well wrapped, unless your hauler gives other instructions.
Do I have to sort glass by color?
Most curbside programs now accept mixed colors and sort them at the facility. A few communities still ask you to separate colors or to use a drop-off. Follow the rule you were given.
How much glass is recycled in the United States?
In 2018, EPA reports 12.3 million tons of glass generated in municipal solid waste and a 31.3 percent recycling rate for glass containers (about 3.1 million tons). The recycling rate for all glass in MSW was 25.0 percent. EPA has not issued a newer national total.
Should the metal cap stay on the bottle?
EPA’s national guidance is to recycle metal bottle caps separately from the glass. Confirm that with your local program.