Frequently Asked Questions
- How large is the U.S. glass container manufacturing industry?
- How are glass bottles and jars made?
- How does recycling fit into the manufacturing process?
- Why is more recycled container glass needed?
- What types of glass can be recycled? What are the industry standards for cullet?
- Is there a way to reuse glass that container manufacturers can’t accept?
- What recycling approaches does the industry favor? How do they work?
Q. How large is the U.S. glass container manufacturing industry?
A. Glass container companies represent a $5.5 billion dollar industry, and employ about 18,000 skilled workers in 50 glass manufacturing plants in 23 states. There are 65 cullet, or recycled glass, processors in 25 states. On average, a typical glass processing facility can handle 20 tons of color-sorted glass per hour. Locate a manufacturer
Q. How are glass bottles and jars made?
A. Glass is made from readily-available domestic materials, such as sand, soda ash, limestone and “cullet,” the industry term for furnace-ready scrap glass. The only material used in greater volumes than cullet is sand. These materials are mixed, or “batched,” heated to a temperature of 2600 to 2800 degrees Fahrenheit and molded into the desired shape.
Q. How does recycling fit into the manufacturing process?
A. Recycled glass is substituted for up to 70% of raw materials. Manufacturers benefit from recycling in several ways—it reduces emissions and consumption of raw materials, extends the life of plant equipment, such as furnaces, and saves energy.
Q. Why is more recycled container glass needed?
A. Because glass manufacturers require high-quality recycled container glass to meet market demands for new glass containers. Cullet is always part of the recipe for glass, and the more that is used, the greater the decrease in energy used in the furnace. This makes using cullet profitable in the long run, lowering costs for glass container manufacturers—and benefiting the environment.
Q. What types of glass can be recycled? What are the industry standards for cullet?
A. Glass containers, such as those for food and beverages, can be recycled. Other types of glass, like windows, ovenware, Pyrex, crystal, etc. are manufactured through a different process. If these materials are introduced into the manufacturing process, they can cause production problems and defective containers.
Furnace-ready cullet must also be free of contaminants such as metals, ceramics, gravel, stones, etc. Color sorting makes a difference, too. Glass manufacturers are limited in the amount of mixed cullet they can use to manufacture new containers. Separating recycled container glass by color allows the industry to ensure that new bottles match the color standards required by glass container customers.
Q. Is there a way to reuse glass that container manufacturers can’t accept?
A. Cullet that doesn’t meet container manufacturing standards and non-container glass are used in tile, filtration, sand blasting, concrete pavements and parking lots, decorative items, and fiber glass.
Q. What recycling approaches does the industry favor? How do they work?
A. Ideally, any recycling program that results in color separated, contaminant-free recycled glass helps ensure that these materials are recycled into new glass containers. While curbside collection of glass recyclables can generate high participation and large amounts of recyclables, drop-off and commercial collection programs can also effectively yield high-quality container glass.
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About the institute
The Glass Packaging Institute (GPI) is the trade association representing the North American glass container industry. Through GPI, glass container manufacturers speak with one voice to advocate industry standards, promote sound environmental policies and educate packaging professionals. GPI member companies manufacture glass containers for food, beverage, cosmetic and many other products. GPI also has associate members that represent a broad range of suppliers and closure manufacturers.
