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.
Glass Container Recycling and Single-Stream Collection
Curbside collection of all recyclables in one cart, called single-stream recycling, has grown from 29% of the population in 2005 to 50% in 2007.* This type of collection can increase contamination, resulting in fewer containers recycled into new glass bottles and jars.
A Northern Colorado study on “Best Management Practices for Glass Recycling” found that the glass capture rate for single-stream recycling may only reach 30%. It’s almost 100% for drop-off recycling.
And a 2009 study conducted for the Container Recycling Institute found that for curbside collection programs that use single-stream recycling, on average, 40% of glass gets recycled into new glass containers, while another 40% ends up in landfills. In contrast, mixed glass collected in dual-stream systems, where recyclables are sorted in to one bin for paper and another for containers, yields an average of 90% of glass being recycled into glass containers and fiberglass. In container-deposit systems, color-sorted material results in 98% being recycled and only 2% marketed as glass fines.
These findings are similar to a 2006 study conducted for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency on the impacts of single-stream and dual-stream collection on glass and other recycled materials. This study found, among other findings, that glass breakage is more prevalent in single-stream processing systems. Get Best Practices for Single-Stream Collection
Processing Glass and Other Recyclables
Quality is most often compromised when recyclables are sorted at a materials recovery facility. Repeated glass handling, sorting equipment that can crush glass containers, and not removing glass until the end of the process all contribute to low-quality cullet. Get Tips for High-Quality Cullet.
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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.
