Ethan Clarke
Glass and plastic are two of the most popular materials used today. Glass is 100% recyclable and can be recycled endlessly with no loss in quality or purity. In fact, glass has an almost zero rate of chemical interaction, ensuring that products inside a glass bottle keep their strength, aroma, and flavor. Plastic, on the other hand, is not so easily recycled. While it is possible to recycle plastic, it is estimated that only 9% of all plastic ever produced has been recycled, with the majority, 72%, ending up in landfills or the environment. This is due in part to the fact that plastic producers have misled the public about the recyclability of their products. Nevertheless, it is important to recycle and reuse both glass and plastic as much as possible to reduce waste and conserve resources.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Glass recyclability | Glass can be recycled over and over again, especially glass food and beverage containers. In the US in 2018, 31.3% of the 12.3 million tons of glass generated was recycled. |
| Plastic recyclability | Plastic can be recycled but its recyclability is limited. Plastic is typically made from fossil fuels. Recycling plastic is energy efficient, using 90% less fuel than new plastic. |
| Metal recyclability | Metal can be recycled. This includes aluminum, steel, and iron ore. Recycling aluminum into new products is 95% more energy-efficient. |
| Paper recyclability | Paper and paper products can be recycled. This includes newspapers, magazines, and pizza boxes. |
| Other recyclables | Other items that can be recycled include batteries, tires, and cardboard. |
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What You'll Learn
Glass bottles and jars can be recycled over and over again
Glass bottles and jars are among the most commonly recycled materials. Unlike most materials that lose their quality over time, glass can be recycled infinitely without any loss in purity. This means that glass bottles and jars can be recycled over and over again. The glass recycling process is the quickest form of recycled packaging, with a bottle recycled and back on the shelves in just 30 days.
Glass bottles and jars are made from sand, with the addition of metals like cobalt or iron to create different colours. The colour of the glass is not just for aesthetic purposes; darker glass reflects more sunlight, which is why beers and wines are often packaged in brown or green glass to protect the contents from sun damage.
When recycling glass bottles and jars, it is important to separate them by colour, as clear and brown glass cannot be recycled together. Metal bottle caps should also be recycled separately from the glass bottles, and corks should be removed and composted. Glass bottles and jars should be emptied and rinsed before being recycled, as leftover liquid can contaminate other recyclables.
Glass bottles and jars can be recycled at out-of-home recycling points, and some states have container deposit laws where consumers pay a fee for each glass bottle, which is refunded when the empty containers are returned to a drop-off site. This incentivises recycling and ensures that glass bottles and jars can be recycled and reused over and over again.
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Plastic is typically made from fossil fuels
Plastic and glass are both recyclable materials. Glass, especially glass food and beverage containers, can be recycled over and over again. In the United States in 2018, 12.3 million tons of glass were generated, 31.3% of which was recycled. Making new glass from recycled glass is typically cheaper than using raw materials. However, it is important to note that certain glass items, such as drinking glasses, eyeglasses, glass furniture, mirrors, and light bulbs, are not meant to be recycled.
Plastic, on the other hand, is typically made from fossil fuels, which are mainly crude oil, natural gas, and coal. These fossil fuels are composed of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulphur, oxygen, and other minerals. The generally accepted theory is that these hydrocarbons are formed from the remains of living organisms, specifically plankton (small plants and animals) that existed during the Jurassic era. Over time, these organisms were buried beneath heavy layers of sediment in the Earth's mantle due to immense pressure and heat. The decomposition of these dead organisms without oxygen transformed them into tiny pockets of oil and gas, which eventually accumulated in reservoirs.
Crude oil, in particular, serves as a source of raw material or feedstock for plastic production. However, it is not the primary source of feedstock for plastics manufacturing in the United States. Instead, natural gas and feedstocks derived from natural gas processing and crude oil refining are the main sources. The specific amounts and origins of the feedstocks used in the industry are challenging to determine due to the flexibility in feedstock consumption and a lack of detailed data collection.
The connection between the fossil fuel and plastic industries is significant, with over 99% of plastic derived from chemicals sourced from fossil fuels. This deep-rooted relationship has led to concerns about plastic pollution and the potential expansion of plastic production, threatening the health of communities and exacerbating the plastic crisis.
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Glass melts at a lower temperature than its ingredients
Glass is one of the few materials that can be recycled endlessly without losing quality or integrity. Glass, especially glass food and beverage containers, can be recycled over and over again. In the United States in 2018, 12.3 million tons of glass were generated, 31.3 percent of which was recycled. Making new glass from recycled glass is typically cheaper than using raw materials.
The main ingredients in soda-lime-silica glasses are mined from the earth and then used after a few steps, such as washing and crushing. The major constituent, silica, is the glass former in important commodity glasses (e.g. flat glass, container glass) and most specialty glasses. Silica is found in sand and sandstone deposits in the form of quartz. After a few crushing and separation steps, the starting material is >99% pure SiO2 and in an appropriate particle size range. In silica sands, the impurity with the greatest consequence is iron oxide, which causes a brown color in the glass. Soda ash is the second important ingredient in the glass batch. It acts as a flux, lowering the melting point and viscosity of the glass.
On the other hand, silicon in its pure form consists of diamond-like structures with all the outer electrons of each atom involved in covalent bonds, which are much stronger. Consequently, it requires a higher temperature to break these bonds and melt the silicon. The melting point of glass (approximately 1600 °C) is lower than that of pure silicon (around 1700 °C). The difference in melting points illustrates how the arrangement of atoms and the type of bonding affect the temperatures at which materials change from solid to liquid.
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Metal bottle caps should be recycled separately from glass bottles
Glass, especially glass food and beverage containers, can be recycled over and over again. In the United States in 2018, 12.3 million tons of glass were generated, 31.3% of which was recycled. Metal bottle caps, on the other hand, should be recycled separately from glass bottles. This is because metal lids and caps are often undesirable in mixed recycling, as most equipment doesn't efficiently sort and separate them. They often get lost during the recycling process because of their small size. Additionally, during sorting, caps and lids may wind up mixed in with glass shards, which can be a safety hazard. At the glass processing facility, the metal might be collected for recycling, or it might be discarded.
Metal bottle caps are recyclable, and metal recyclers typically accept them from the public. Metals are some of the more valuable materials in the recyclable stream. However, it is important to check with your local recycling program, as rules may vary depending on your location. For example, in some areas, plastic bottle caps are not recyclable, while in others, they are recyclable only if they remain screwed onto the bottle.
If your local program does recycle metal bottle caps, there are a few ways to ensure they are properly recycled. One method is to store the caps in a steel food can, and when it is nearly full, crimp or pinch it closed before recycling the entire can and its contents together. Another option is to separate your metal lids and caps and take them to a nearby metal recycling facility. Before making the trip, be sure to call and confirm that they will accept your items.
In addition to bottle caps, there are several other types of metal that can be recycled. This includes aluminum foil and trays, empty aerosol and paint cans, wire hangers, pots and pans, and metal hardware. Mostly-metal furniture and small appliances can also be recycled, but it is important to remove or cut any cables, wires, and cords, as these cannot be recycled.
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Plastic can be reshaped and recycled
Plastic is one of the most commonly used materials in the world, and its recycling is of utmost importance. In principle, almost all plastic can be recycled. However, in practice, there are several barriers that hinder this process. For instance, many items consist of multiple types of plastic and different layers, making separation challenging and costly. Additionally, certain types of plastic, such as bioplastics, composite plastic, plastic-coated wrapping paper, and polycarbonate, are notoriously difficult to recycle.
Despite these challenges, advancements in recycling technologies and methods have led to an increase in the types of plastic being collected and recycled. This trend is expected to continue in the coming years. One notable development is the creation of a new type of plastic that combines the toughness of thermosets with enhanced sustainability. This innovative plastic can be melted and reformed into new objects with the same strength as the original, or it can be broken down into its starting material to create new polymers.
The recyclability of plastic also depends on its resin type, which is indicated by a number ranging from 1 to 7, with 7 representing "other." Generally, lower resin codes signify a higher likelihood of the plastic being easily recyclable. Before recycling, plastics are sorted according to these resin types, either manually or through mechanized processes, and sometimes even by colour. This sorting process is crucial for effective recycling.
There are two primary methods for recycling plastic: mechanical recycling and chemical recycling. In mechanical recycling, plastic is washed, ground, and melted to create new products. On the other hand, chemical recycling involves breaking down plastic into monomers, the building blocks of polymers, to form new polymers that can be reused. This process is more eco-friendly as it minimizes chemical waste and promotes the recycling of plastic waste that would otherwise end up in landfills.
It is worth noting that plastic can be reshaped and recycled multiple times without any loss in mechanical properties. This reshaping process involves applying pressure and heat to the plastic, allowing it to be reformed into various forms. Recycling plastic is essential for conserving limited natural resources and energy. As plastic is derived from oil, increasing the rate of plastic recycling reduces the need to produce new plastic from raw materials, leading to a more sustainable future.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, glass can be recycled. Glass, especially glass food and beverage containers, can be recycled over and over again. Glass melts at a lower temperature than its constituent ingredients, so making a bottle from recycled glass uses 25 to 30 percent less energy than producing a new one.
Glass bottles and jars can be recycled. Drinking glasses, eyeglasses, glass furniture, mirrors, and light bulbs should not be recycled.
Yes, plastic can be recycled. Plastic is typically made from fossil fuels and recycling it is very energy-efficient, using 90% less fuel than new plastic. However, plastic recycling may not always be possible or desirable, and once it's in a landfill, it may be there to stay.
Rigid plastics can be recycled. This includes food and drink containers, caps and lids, cups and bowls, toys (batteries removed), consumer packaging, and acetate boxes.
