Glass
Recycling glass considerably reduces the amount of raw material and energy used during glass production. Every glass bottle recycled saves enough energy to light a 15watt energy efficient light bulb for 24 hours and there's a saving of raw materials too - sand, limestone and soda ash.
Find out how glass is recycled by watching a video here
Our recycling / disposal advice
It's not just bottles that can be recycled, but jars too!
All of Hertfordshire's Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) have recycling containers for the collection of glass. There are also recycle banks around the County.
The collection containers do not accept flat glass such as window panes. Also excluded from collection are Pyrex glass dishes, drinking glasses of any kind, light bulbs, crockery and so on.
Please rinse then sort glass bottles and jars into colour groups before placing them in the recycling containers. Rinsing is to avoid any nasty smells that may emanate or attract pests due to food residues. The material will be thoroughly sterilised in the recycling process so the washing does not have to be to high hygienic standards. In fact we would recommend using 'grey water' to rinse (i.e. the end of your washing up water), as this will be enough to remove food residues and avoids using any more water or energy than is necessary.
Labels do not need to be taken off as they will also be removed during the recycling process. However, the lids to glass jars and bottles should not be placed into the glass containers. Unfortunately they are not easily recycled as they are often a composite material made up of plastic and metal, which is much more difficult to separate and recycle.
Sorting really does make a difference - the different colours are collected and treated separately. Mixing the colours will contaminate the recycled glass, even to the extent that it cannot be used. A limited amount of blue glass can go in the green bottle banks. High quality recycled glass (i.e. made from a colour glass that has not been contaminated) can be made into new glass for bottles, drinking glasses etc... Lower quality recycled glass can be used in road building as 'glassfelt'.
Please remember not to use the bottle banks at a time when people living nearby could be disturbed by the noise.
Wash and return milk bottles - they can be used on average twenty four times before being recycled by the dairy.
Download and view our How materials are recycled leaflet.
Use the search below to find where to recycle / dispose of Glass.