After a great party or special occasion, you may have tons of leftover bottles lying around. Surely you can’t just keep these used glass bottles around the house.
But what’s the best way for you to dispose of them, do you throw them in the trash, or can you recycle these instead? Continue reading the article below to find out this answer and more!
Can You Recycle Wine, Beer, Champagne & Soda Glass Bottles?
Yes, you can recycle wine, beer, champagne, and soda glass bottles. Furthermore, it is recommended you recycle these items because they fit under the criteria for recyclable glass material, which means that you will be able to dispose of your items in an efficient and environmentally friendly way.
Additionally, recycling your bottles properly will ensure that they will be reused and re-integrated instead of filling landfills and contributing to large amounts of unprocessed waste. So, continue reading to find out the best way to recycle these materials!
How To Recycle Your Glass Properly
To keep the environment clean, and make sure you can dispose of your leftovers properly, you should always recycle your glass bottles.
Furthermore, regardless of the type or size of the bottles, recycling is often the best method of disposal.
Recycling Glass Is Easy
It’s very beneficial to know the perks of recycling correctly because it’ll help you know what can and what can’t be recycled.
Furthermore, having a look at any list of recyclable materials shows us that glass is almost always included in the recommended items to recycle.
Additionally, your recycle bin will likely even list in detail which items in addition to glass can and cannot go, so you never have to worry about what to put in.
What Kind Of Glass Should You Recycle?
Here is a list of a few glass items you should be able to recycle without worry that you may have lying around in your home.
- Beer bottles. Often at the end of a busy week, you’ll want to unwind with a few bottles of beer. Often, these bottles are small and come in packs of multiples, so you’ll typically have more than a few lying around. Recycle all of these in the box they came in so you have a convenient way of carrying them all without risk of breaking them.
- Wine glasses.
- Broken glass. Broken glass can be dangerous to have around your home. Additionally, you shouldn’t just toss this kind of glass in your recycle bin, but instead, contact your local city or municipality to schedule a safe pickup or discuss the best disposal option.
Proper disposal also ensures that you won’t be at risk if something goes wrong.
For example, if you throw your glass bottles in the wrong place, you could be at risk of cutting yourself on sharp glass because it wasn’t disposed of properly.
Furthermore, glass particularly has a huge risk of breaking and shattering easily, and disposing of it in the wrong place can be very harmful to you and possibly others.
Your Location Matters When Recycling Glass
To dispose of them properly, you should first double-check your local area’s rules and regulations on recyclable goods.
Although, in most residential areas you’ll be able to just fill a bag with your bottles and safely dispose of them in the recycle bin in your backyard.
In some other cases, however, you’ll have to take these bottles to a facility or a location that can dispose of them for you.
Therefore, it’s important to note that the area in which you live can have a major impact on how you dispose of your items.
For example, some states require you to visit a specific drop off location for glass, such as a recycling center or a local business that includes the service.
So, to find the correct method for your area, your local city website or waste management service will have a section detailing proper disposal guidelines.
Why Recycling Your Glass Is Important
By recycling your glass, you’re helping the environment in substantial ways.
For one thing, recyclable items can be remade and reused which substantially helps when it comes to non-natural materials like glass.
Furthermore, glass takes significant time, cost, and resources to make and use before it gets to your home.
However, much of this work can be cut down with recycled materials and this is because the glass that you recycle can be easily remolded into other objects.
What Makes Glass So Valuable?
What makes glass items so easily recyclable is their abundance of use.
In the United States, in 2018, over 25% of glass generated came from recycling, which accounted for a whopping 12.3 million tons.
Therefore, because of how much glass the world uses, pre-processed glass that can be recycled is of very high value.
Additionally, smelting a glass bottle back down is much, much easier than creating new glass from raw materials.
Furthermore, because of this, recycling glass is more economically viable than generating new glass and the technology currently exists to do this process efficiently and quickly.
Also, glass can be 100% recycled with no waste left behind and still retain its quality, making it one of the most efficient recyclable goods.
Other Ways To Recycle Glass
However, there are even better ways to “recycle” glass.
Furthermore, since glass items are beautiful on their own and easily sterilized, it makes them prime candidates for either passing them along or upcycling them into art and other goods.
In fact, you might want to consider not disposing of old glass, but displaying it instead.
Additionally, ornate wine glasses and bottles often are used as home accent pieces.
However, you can also donate them to a local Goodwill or thrift store so that they can find use or be displayed in somebody else’s home!
Conclusion
A simple act like recycling a glass bottle can have a greater environmental impact than we initially realize because you’re not only cleaning your house, but you’re helping to create more glass for the future.
Additionally, glass, whether it be in the form of alcohol bottles, soda bottles, or anything else, is one of the best items you could possibly recycle. Furthermore, glass can be 100% recycled and reused for new items!