What to do with
Glass bottles & jars
Please note that recycling collections and facilities may be affected by the COVID-19 situation. Please check with your local authority for updates about services. Read more
Glass bottles and jars are widely recycled
Lots of local authorities collect glass for recycling and bottle banks can be found in most areas. Enter your postocde below to find out if you can recycle glass bottles and jars at home.
What glass can I recycle at home?
| Bottles of any colour, e.g. wine, beer, spirits | Glass cookware, e.g. Pyrex, microwave plates | |
| Jars, e.g. sauces, jam, baby food | Drinking glasses | |
| Non-food bottles, e.g. perfume, aftershave, face creams | Ceramics, e.g. crockery, earthenware | |
| Vases | ||
| Nail varnish bottles | ||
| Mirrors | ||
| Light bulbs and tubes |
Why can't I recycle some glass items?
Some 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. These items should be recycled separately - check with your local household waste recycling centre.
How to recycle glass bottles and jars
- Put lids and caps back on. This reduces the chance of them getting lost during the sorting process as they can be recycled separately.
- Empty and rinse - a quick rinse will do. Leftover liquid can contaminate other recyclables which may mean they aren't recycled.
- At bottle banks, blue glass goes in with green glass.
- Corks should be removed from bottles before they are recycled but can be home composted.
Did you know?