Glass Bottle Recycling

This is what typically happens to glass collected for recycling in NZ.

Using recycled glass bottles and jars in the manufacture of new glass containers provides energy savings and reduction in carbon dioxide emissions to conserve nature resources. Glass is uniquely sustainable as it can be recycled again and again without loss in quality, purity or clarity.

Breakdown of recyclables we can claim from glass container waste.

Waste resources: GLASS, various jars and bottles.
Pre or post consumer waste: All glass is post-consumer.
Waste supplier profile: Sourced from wide range of cafes, restaurants, shopping centres, public services and social venues.
Products types remanufactured: Turned into new jars and bottles.

Glass recycling has specific requirements to remanufacture only glass bottles and jars can be reused, no other form of glass such as window glass or drinking glasses can be used.

Broken crockery, drinking glasses or plate glass should not be deposited in recycling bins as these cannot be accepted by recyclers (it is too hard and dangerous to sort them into new glass containers).

Most collected glass is transported to O-I NZ and is reprocessed back into new glass containers.

Videos

Glass Recycling Process

Glass is one of our earliest recycling successes. This video shows how glass is recycled and manufactured.