What to do with
Glass
Want to recycle glass but don't know if you can?
Glass bottles and jars are widely recycled. To find out if you can recycle them at home or need to take them to a bottle bank use our handy Recycling Locator tool.
What glass can I recycle?
| Yes please | No thanks |
|---|---|
| Bottles of any colour (e.g. wine, beer, spirits) | Glass cookware (e.g.Pyrex) |
| Jars (e.g. sauces, jam, baby food) | Drinking glasses |
| Non-food bottles (e.g. perfume, aftershave, face creams) | Vases |
| Ceramics (e.g. crockery or earthenware) | |
| Nail varnish bottles | |
| Microwave plates | |
| Mirrors |
Why can't I recycle some glass items?
These types of glass do not melt at the same temperature as bottles and jars. If they enter the glass recycling process it can result in new containers being rejected.
Other glass items that should be recycled separately from glass bottles and jars are:
- Light bulbs/tubes
- Window glass (check with your local recycling centre first)
- Empty and rinse - it doesn't need to be spotlessly clean, a quick rinse will do. Left over liquid and residue can contaminate other recyclables which may mean they are not recycled.
- Lids and caps can be put back on - these will be removed and recycled. These are different types of metal to cans/tins/aerosols so are recycled in a differnt way and by putting the lids/caps back on glass jars and bottles it reduces the chance of them getting lost through the sorting process.
- Corks should be removed - natural corks can be home composted.
- At bottle banks, put the glass in the correct bank for clear, green or brown glass. Blue glass goes in with green glass
- Only use bottle banks during the day - the sound of smashing bottles can make a real racket and disturb people who live nearby!
- Remember not to litter the area around the bottle bank with your empty bags and boxes
Tips for recycling glass
What else can I do with it?
Return it!
- If a bottle is returnable it is better to return it, rather than to recycle it. For example, if your milk bottle came from the milkman, make sure he gets it back!
See how glass bottles and jars are recycled