Glass is a "permanent material," capable of being recycled 100% indefinitely without ever losing its original quality or purity.

 

 

 

Glass is a "permanent material," capable of being recycled 100% indefinitely without ever losing its original quality or purity.

But plastic is cheaper for businesses to make. We are destroying the planet to save a few bucks. 

 

Imagine a material that never wears out, no matter how many times it is reused. Glass is a rare exception in the world of packaging because its chemical composition does not degrade during the melting and reforming process. This allows for a true closed-loop system where bottles and jars are transformed back into high-quality containers over and over again. By utilizing recycled glass—known as cullet—manufacturers significantly reduce the need to mine virgin materials like sand and limestone, while also lowering energy consumption and CO2 emissions compared to producing glass from scratch.

Despite its infinite potential, the success of glass recycling relies heavily on clean collection and careful sorting. When different colors are mixed or contaminated with curbside debris, the glass may be diverted to lower-value uses like insulation instead of becoming new bottles. However, when properly managed, glass remains a cornerstone of the circular economy. By prioritizing color-specific sorting and reducing contamination in our recycling bins, we can ensure that every glass container remains in a perpetual cycle of use, protecting our natural resources for generations to come.

source: Glass Packaging Institute. (2023). Why Glass Recycling Matters: The Benefits of a Closed-Loop System. Washington, DC.