The current rate of
The same glass can be recycled a million times over to produce bottles and jars of the same high quality. Of the glass recycled in Australia, 85% is made back into glass containers. Manufacturers today are making lighter glass bottles in a bid to conserve resources.
Many countries are close to recycling 100 per cent of their glass. But in Australia, more than a quarter of the glass we consume becomes rubbish that goes to landfill.
Australian households create over 12.4 million tonnes of waste each year. Individuals contribute large percentages of organics, textiles, glass and plastic waste. For example, regular households contributed 72% of all glass waste (about 1.2 million tonnes of glass) and around 90% of all textile waste (247,000 tonnes).
End product The market value of recycled glass product is not clear, as there is limited information available. Estimates are in the range of glass cullet: $100 and $149 per tonne delivered and glass fines: $0 to $49 per tonne delivered.
What happens to glass bottles? All glass bottles deposited at a return point are collected and taken to a sorting facility in Sydney. The bottles are crushed into smaller bits of glass called cullet, and any contamination is removed, including lids and labels.
Sweden is considered a model country for glass recycling. In recent years, recycling rates have always been over 95 %.
Most used materials – waste generation vs recycling
In 2020-21, the three largest sources of waste were building and demolition (25.2 mega tonnes), organics (14.4 mega tonnes), and ash from C&I electricity generation (12 mega tonnes).
But the country is still well short of that target. Just 16 per cent of the country's plastic packaging was recycled or composted in 2019-20, down from 18 per cent in 2018-19. Flatlining recycling rates since 2017 and reports of warehouse stockpiles of plastic reveal serious issues with Australia's recycling system.
However, the vast majority of recycling collected by Australian councils is still getting recycled. Data shows 84 - 96% of kerbside recycling is recycled, and the remaining 4 - 16% that goes to landfill is primarily a result of the wrong thing going in the wrong bin.
The glass is then transported to the recycling centre where it is washed and sorted by colour. Machines will crush and break down the sorted glass so that it can be melted down easier. It can then be placed into moulds to make decorative products, jars, bottles or fibreglass.
Glass bottles are worse for the environment than plastic bottles, according to a study published in the Journal for Waste Resources and Residues. Researchers from the University of Southampton conducted a life-cycle assessment of various drink containers.
Glass can be recycled endlessly by crushing, blending, and melting it together with sand and other starting materials. Doing so benefits manufacturers, the environment, and consumers.
toughened glass panes. mirrors. broken glass. light bulbs or fluorescent tubes.
Wine bottles can be recycled, but due to difficulties in sorting bottles by glass color and high transportation costs, they aren't recycled as much as they should be.
Metal is one of the most recycled materials in Australia, with 90 per cent of all metals turned into new products - this includes construction materials as well as vehicles. Car brands like Ford, Audi, BMW and Jaguar have all used recycled aluminium in some of their latest models.
The report finds that most population centres have sufficient approved physical landfill capacity to last many years (more than 15 years capacity in most centres).
E-waste is the world's fastest growing waste stream.
What about it? Glass presents some tough recycling problems—including lack of end markets, contamination, and transportation costs—partly because it weighs about 10 times as much as a similar volume of plastic or aluminum. It busts up easily, which makes it hard on equipment and increases maintenance costs.
It may seem surprising, but Brock's study found that plastic bottles are less environmentally damaging than glass bottles. Although plastic cannot be endlessly recycled, the manufacturing process is less energy-intensive, as there is a lower melting point for plastics compared with glass.
South Korea created its Waste Management Law in 1986, a practical step to achieving a no-waste country. The law focused on reducing the millions of tonnes of waste dumped at landfills. To reduce the high quantities of plastic in the garbage, the government banned the use of disposable plastic bags and containers.
Toughened Glass: Higher Strength Comes at a Cost
As a result, toughened glass is up to five times stronger than regular annealed glass and can withstand greater pressure before breaking into small blunt pieces. However, this added strength comes at a cost.
Glass Weight in KG = Area of glass M2 (Length x Width) x Thickness of the glass x 2.5KG.
1/8" (3mm) Thin, Light weight Table Covers and Table Tops for Indoor Usage. 5/32" (4mm) Good for Table and Furniture Cover in Kitchen and Living Room Table Tops. 3/16" (5mm) Great for patio tables, side tables, inserts, and glass protective table covers.