Did you know? There are big benefits to recycling glass
Glass is recyclable, but in Canada, reports show up to 70 per cent of it goes into the trash.
It’s thought to account for about 5 per cent of total municipal solid waste in some North American junkyards.
According to Recycle Across America, more than 28 billion glass jars and bottles wind up in landfills yearly, and that’s just in the U.S.
The non-profit says that’s equivalent to filling up two Empire State buildings every three weeks.
Recycling glass is important because it frees up space for things that belong in landfills, like items that can’t be recycled.
Making products from reused glass uses 40 per cent less energy than making new glass. This reduces emissions of nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide, which are greenhouse gases.
It also slashes related air pollution by 20 per cent and water pollution by up to 50 per cent.
Most recycled glass is turned into new containers, but it can also be used in tiles, flooring, landscaping, and sometimes added to concrete pavement.
How does Canada fare with glass recycling?
While Canada still has some work to do regarding reusing glass, one outlier exists.
Quebec City recycles 100 per cent of its glass thanks to state-of-the-art sorting equipment.
In 2022, the city expanded its commitment by rolling out a new deposit system that collects all beverage containers, including wine and alcohol bottles.
Officials use the glass to create abrasives for municipal tasks, like sandblasting.
