Making more from your recycled glass

Why we need glass only recycling

Victoria is introducing new glass only recycling services across the state. Large investments are also being made into glass reprocessing facilities. This means glass manufacturers will be able to recycle twice as much glass to create new products.

Separating glass from other materials:

• reduces contamination (broken glass won't spoil paper, cardboard and plastic recycling)
• ensures a cleaner pathway to recycling facilities
• allows recovery of more resources that get recycled in Victoria
• reduces use of virgin materials, making the most of limited natural resources
• makes the value of recyclables go up by $210 million every year by creating a cleaner stream.

Do you have a question about the glass recycling services in your area? Check your local council website to find out more.

New products from recycled glass

Your recycled glass is being turned into new everyday products right here in Victoria.

The glass bottles and jars that you put into your recycling bin are being recreated to hold your favourite pasta sauce, pickles or peanut butter on supermarket shelves and beer at your local brewery.

In some areas, the tarmac under your tyres has been partially constructed out of recycled glass. This innovative process reduces the need to transport natural sand to project sites, cuts costs, reduces carbon emissions and gives your recycling new life.

City of Yarra, who introduced a glass only bin and drop-off service in 2020, reports that 90% of glass collected is being recycled into new bottles and jars.

The importance of recycling glass

Glass is a valuable resource that can be recycled an infinite number of times, creating an endless, sustainable loop of glass products.

When glass is sorted into the right bin at home it can be recycled again and again. Small fragments (that can’t be remade into bottles or jars) can be used in the construction sector in road base. This reduces our reliance on natural resources like sand.

Using your recycling bin for glass

It’s important to recycle correctly for glass to be turned into new products or infrastructure. This is where your small acts make a big impact.

Here are some tips to get your glass recycling right to recycle more (includes mixed recycling bins and glass only recycling services):

• Check your local council website to find out if lids should stay on or off when recycling your glass.
• Rinsing or scraping the food or liquid from bottles and jars will increase its value and allow it to be used in more products.
• Broken glass, like drinking glasses, mirrors, windows or ceramic crockery, cannot go into any recycling bin and must be put in your general rubbish bin.

Correctly disposing of glass bottles and jars improves the quality and value of the collected recyclables. This keeps recycling from going to landfill. It stops paper, cardboard and plastic recycling from being spoiled with broken glass, so more of those items can be turned into new products too.