Curbside Recycling and Drop-Off Centers
Most glass bottles and jars recycled in the community are collected through curbside or drop-off recycling program.
Curbside
At the curb, glass may be set out separated from other materials or in a bin with other containers. In a growing number of communities, all recyclables are collected in one bin, called “single-stream” recycling. Typically glass containers collected at the curb are not color separated.
Single-stream and dual-stream collection:
In curbside collection programs that use single-stream recycling, where all recyclable materials are collected in one bin, on average, 40% of glass gets recycled into new glass containers, while another 40% ends up in landfills, according to a Container Recycling Institute 2009 study. 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. Get all study results
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. More study findings
Learn more about glass recycling collection best practices
Drop-Off Centers
Many residents can also recycle glass at drop-off centers located throughout their community. Glass is typically kept separate for high quality, and is often collected by color—clear, amber/brown, and green—so that recycled glass can be manufactured into new glass bottles and jars. Research in the cities of Fort Collins and Loveland, CO and Larimer County, CO found that the glass capture rates for single-stream recycling may only reach 30%, but it’s almost 100% for drop-off recycling.
Check out these model community glass drop-off programs:
Colorado — “Be World Class, Sort Your Glass,” a partnership among the cities of Fort Collins and Loveland, Larimer County, and Rocky Mountain Bottle Company, began with 3 glass recycling drop-off locations and expanded to 5 three months later, and in 2010 collected about 65 tons a month. While glass bottles are also collected at the curb, the drop-off program is encouraged to for a higher-quality material. More
Kansas City, MO — There’s no curbside collection of glass, so residents drop off their glass bottles and jars at one of 70 retail and community locations in the metro area. About 1,200 tons/month of glass bottles and jars recycled through this extended drop-off system are taken to Ripple Glass, for sorting and processing, and then used to make fiberglass and new glass bottles. More
Muncie, IN — Saint-Gobain Containers, headquartered in Muncie, Indiana, partnered with Muncie Mission to organize local drop-off collection of glass bottles. More
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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.
