Although official worldwide recycling didn’t start until somewhere in the 1970’s, it has quickly become popular, particularly in the last several years. More and more people are seeing recycling as more of a necessity than a novelty. With that discovery, comes the art of glass re-use. Many artists have started repurposing glass in their creations.
The wide variety of glass in art and decor includes glass trees and walls, mason jars as lights and candleholders, garden edging, lamps, storage and a plethora of other unique items. If you are creative and have vision, you can reuse glass to make many useful and beautiful pieces. Here are a few new ideas to repurpose your glass!
If reusing glass is not your cup of tea, you can still help the environment by recycling glass. Glass is a resource that can be completely recycled with no loss in quality and purity. There are many advantages to recycling glass including reducing emissions and the consumption of raw materials, extending the life of plant equipment, such as furnaces, and saving energy. There is a high demand for high-quality recycled glass which gives companies a less expensive and environmentally conscientious source.
What is the glass recycling process?
Recycling glass is a process of heating the glass to a high temperature and then re-shaping it in to individual glasses and containers. This can create many different choices of shapes and sizes.
Can I recycle in my area and what is required?
- Recycling requirements vary by city so check your location for the individual stipulations.
- Broken glass recycling can be dangerous for curbside collection so take caution.
- Some areas require the glass be separated by color so research rule in your area.
- In some places, you may be able to get cash for your glass for returning your glass bottles.
- Some items such as Pyrex containers or light bulbs cannot be recycled along with glass bottles due to chemical breakdown. Check with your city for regulations.
Any way you decide to reuse or recycle glass is a win for the environment! It may require a little extra work on your part, but the time is worth the investment in our future.