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GLASS
Glass used to be scarce, but after the industrial revolution mass
production began. Today glass is much less expensive and is used
to make many different things, from windows to milk bottles.
The main raw material used to make glass is sand. It also needs
limestone, soda ash and some other additives to colour it. The production
of glass uses energy, both during the extraction of the sand as
well as during transportation and processing. Large amounts of fossil
fuels are used during these phases, which inevitably produce the
greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide.
Glass can be recycled over and over again without losing its quality.
The glass collected from amenity sites or kerbside boxes is called
'cullet'. When it reaches the reprocessing factory it is monitored
for purity and contaminants are removed. It is melted in a furnace
and then moulded or mechanically blown into new bottles or jars.
Glass made this way greatly reduces the amount of raw material
needed and also the amount of energy used in the process. In addition,
it reduces the amount of glass going to landfill, as well as the
amount of quarrying.
Recycled glass isn’t limited to new bottles and jars –
it can also be used in the construction industry e.g. glass re-enforced
plastics and cements, and a new road laying material called ‘glasphalt’.
Things to remember:
• Most glass food containers
can be recycled, not just bottles.
• Light bulbs, window glass and
glass cookware like 'pyrex' can’t be recycled because they
have different properties to the glass used in bottles and jars.
If mixed with bottles and jars, they cause contamination and can
result in a full load of glass having to be disposed of.
• Never mix green, brown and
clear glass in recycling banks. This is especially important for
clear glass – if it is contaminated with brown or green glass,
its value is greatly decreased.
CLICK HERE FOR SOME RECYCLING
FACTS ON GLASS
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