GLASS RECYCLING

Glass Recycling

URM is a global leader in designing, constructing and operating the most advanced glass beneficiation plants in the world.

We encourage every Australian household and business to think smart about glass recycling.

Glass used for food and beverage is 100% recyclable and is one of the world’s most significant materials to recycle.

URM provides dedicated glass recycling bins to businesses and local communities through council kerbside collection.

From wine and beer bottles to jam jars, we recycle all different types of coloured and shaped glass bottles and jars.

Why is Recycling Glass So Important for the Environment?

Glass recycling is a win-win situation because glass is the best ingredient for making more glass!

Glass can be recycled forever without any loss in quality and uses 75% less energy than producing new glass from raw materials.

Recycling glass also reduces the need to drill for oil and dig for raw materials like bauxite, iron ore and sand.

Recycling and reusing glass lessens the need to take unnecessary rubbish to the landfill.

What Kind of Glass Can I Recycle?

There are some important steps to follow when using your kerbside collection bins to recycle glass.

Just one share of contaminated glass can impact a tonne of recyclable glass at the recycling centre.

URM makes it easy for everyone to maintain sustainable glass recycling practices with one collection service for all types of recyclable glass.

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*3 months free offer is based on a minimum 3 year term contract for new commercial customers.

New 1 or 2 year contract customers are eligible for 1 or 2 months of free services respectively.

Recyclable Glass for Kerbside Collection

  • Clear, green or amber bottles – including wine, beer, juice, soft drink and sauce bottles.
  • Glass jars such as those from jams and spreads.

It’s okay to leave the labels on, but please remember to rinse the glass and throw away any lids in your general rubbish collection.

Tip: To conserve water, you can wash bottles and jars in a bucket or used dishwater.

Glass That's Not Permitted for Household Kerbside Collection

  • Drinking Glassware
  • China
  • Window Glass & Windscreen Glass
  • Ceramics – such as Pyrex
  • Light Globes
  • Medical or Laboratory Glass
  • Oven-Proof Glass
  • Mirrors
  • White Opaque Bottles

These types of glass need a different temperature melting point than bottles and jars.

If you need to dispose of these types of broken glass, wrap it in a piece of newspaper and throw it away in your general rubbish collection.

For customers who do require disposal of glass other than bottles or jars, please contact our friendly URM staff for further information.

The Recycling Process

Glass recycling gives bottles and jars a new lease of life by crushing the glass and remelting them to make a fresh quality batch.

Glass bottles and jars that remain intact during collection are much easier to sift through at a Materials Recovery Facility.

Please consider this when disposing of glass and try to avoid breakage.

Glass bottles and jars are sorted out by machine and by hand, to separate the glass by three main colours, which are clear, amber and green.

The glass is then crushed, so it becomes ‘cullet,’ which undergoes screenings to remove any contamination and objects that may interfere with the recycling process.

The cullet is cleaned and dried, and the majority is melted in a furnace with raw materials.

The ingredients in a molten form are poured into a mould, with air blowing into the mould creating the shape of a bottle or jar.

Did You Know?

A piece of non-recyclable glass the size of a small coin can contaminate one tonne of recyclable glass, forcing it to be dumped at landfill.

Energy saved from recycling one bottle, can power a computer for 20 minutes.

Get in touch with us for more information about URM, our products and services.