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How to Recycle Glass Jars and Bottles

How to Recycle Glass Jars and Bottles

Glass bottles and jars are recyclable and can be placed in your council recycling bin.

Drinking glasses, pyrex and other cooking glass, window glass, mirrors, light bulbs and broken glass cannot be recycled.

THE BEST THING TO DO WITH GLASS BOTTLES AND JARS, HOWEVER, IS TO RE-PURPOSE THEM AS A CONTAINER FOR SOMETHING ELSE.

When you buy a product in a glass jar, make part of your buying decision based on what you might use the jar for later. Say you buy the same product, for example manuka honey, over and over again - buy the same size each time so that you have a uniform look for pantry storage. Buy oils in reusable bottles and think about size and shape for use as vases later on.

You might even find there is a jam maker or bee keeper in your neighbourhood who will happily swap you your jars for some marmalade or honey! 

For bottles, especially those you decide to keep and use as vases, you can either group similar looking containers together or, like in this pic, use all kinds of containers and use the flowers and leaves you have on the day to make your grouping.



If you are having a party or event, make sure that afterwards, when you are gathering them to take to Cash for Containers or to your recycling facility, put them into like coloured groups as that is the way they are recycled. 




Images: Milada Vigerova / Diego Botero  | Unsplash
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Science Notes
While most glass is now made with at least some recycled glass, in its original form, glass is made from sand, limestone and silica – melted at 1500 degrees Celsius.

Glass can be recycled infinite times without losing purity, quality or strength. On the other hand, it does not break down, so please don’t throw recyclable glass in your normal rubbish.

Related Tip
Glass is by far the best storage solution you can utilize.

Instead of buying plastic and other storage containers, use your old glass jars. They are perfect for left overs or food storage when you buy in bulk.