Collection Best Practices
Bottle-to-bottle recycling is the highest and best use of recycled glass. But it requires a consistent supply of high-quality cullet—which can make up to 70% of the raw material mix.
For most commodities, including glass, the method of collecting and processing recyclable materials has a big impact on quality.
Tips for High-Quality Cullet
Contamination from non-container glass, metal, gravel, and dirt can occur when glass containers are set out for recycling, during collection and processing, or in transit. Unwanted items in cullet:
- Decrease the value of recovered glass.
- Increase recycling costs.
- Slow container production.
- Reduce glass quality.
- Damage glass manufacturing equipment.
To improve markets—and revenue—for recovered glass:
- Step up quality control to weed out contamination.
- Retain glass size during collection and processing.
- Set up recycling contract incentives with a shared revenue component.
- Use new, high-tech equipment, such as optical sorting.
- Add restaurant, bar, and hotel recycling to expand clean glass recovery.
Single-Stream Collection Best Practices
For most commodities, including glass, single-stream collection of recyclables can increase contamination, resulting in fewer containers recycled into new glass bottles and jars.
Use these “best practices”, derived from the Single Stream Recycling Best Practices Implementation Guide completed by Conservatree and Environmental Planning Consultants, when considering a single stream collection program:
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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.
