| We are all being encouraged to recycle more in order | | | | glass but we also export a large amount of it too |
| to help protect our environment and save energy | | | | meaning there is less clear glass to recycle. At the |
| and we can do this in three main ways. | | | | same time we are importing a lot of coloured glass in |
| - REDUCE the amount of waste we produce in the | | | | the form of wine bottles for example, and so we |
| first place | | | | have a situation where not enough clear glass is |
| - REUSE or find another use for an item when it | | | | ending up in the bottle banks to meet the demand |
| reaches the end of its life | | | | for new clear glass and there is a surplus of coloured |
| - RECYCLE everything else | | | | glass for which there is less of a demand. |
| The reality is that not everyone understands just | | | | One of the challenges involved in the recycling of |
| how important this is. Take glass for example. Empty | | | | glass has to be the sorting of it. It has to be |
| glass bottles and jars are the most common type of | | | | separated first by colour and so you can imagine the |
| glass waste produced by consumers and represents | | | | huge task involved in sorting out large bottle banks |
| approximately 80% of all recycled glass. However, | | | | full of broken bits of different coloured glass. This is |
| despite increased numbers of roadside collections and | | | | why it is so important when placing bottles and jars |
| bottle banks, there is still a lot of glass that is being | | | | into bottle banks that you put the correct colour in |
| thrown away along with regular household rubbish | | | | the appropriate bank. |
| and ending up in landfill. | | | | How to recycle your waste glass |
| Although glass is not harmful to the environment | | | | - Try to reuse bottles and jars in the home as much |
| directly, it doesn't degrade (break down) and so if it | | | | as possible. Perhaps for storing odds and ends or buy |
| finds its way into landfill, that is where it will stay, | | | | refills for glass containers you already have |
| forever. Glass is also a valuable commodity and so | | | | - When buying glass containers, if you have a choice, |
| any ending up in landfill is a waste of a resource and | | | | try to buy ones that are returnable and don't put |
| here's why. | | | | these into bottle banks when they are empty, make |
| Why recycle glass | | | | sure they are actually returned |
| Glass is an easy material to recycle and one of the | | | | - Always deposit your empty jars and bottles in |
| advantages in recycling glass is that it can be | | | | bottle banks if kerbside collection for glass is not in |
| recycled over and over again to make new bottles | | | | place in your area |
| and jars without compromising the quality of the | | | | - Before recycling your glass containers, rinse them |
| glass itself. Recycling glass also reduces the amount | | | | out and remove any metal clips or tops or corks |
| of resources needed to produce new glass and uses | | | | - Don't deposit window panes, Pyrex, light bulbs or |
| a lot less energy. According to the British Glass | | | | toughened glass into the bottle banks, they are |
| website, the energy saved by recycling glass in 2001 | | | | made in a different way and are not suitable for |
| would have been enough to launch 10 space shuttle | | | | recycling in the same way that other glass is |
| missions and the energy saved from recycling just | | | | Conclusion |
| one single bottle is enough to power a computer for | | | | If every household simply got into the habit of |
| 25 minutes. | | | | recycling not only glass but as much waste as |
| So if glass is so easy to recycle and saves so much | | | | possible we would help to preserve the earth's |
| energy, why are recycling rates in the UK lower than | | | | natural resources for future generations, cut down |
| some other countries in Europe? Even though we are | | | | on the CO2 emissions released into the atmosphere |
| becoming more aware of the importance of | | | | and make significant energy savings too. Finally, it is |
| recycling, the UK still recycles less than 50% of its | | | | estimated that we will run out of space for landfill |
| glass and is lagging behind other European countries, | | | | within the next decade and so we have to find new |
| some of who are recycling as much as 90% of | | | | ways to dispose of our waste that doesn't harm the |
| theirs. | | | | environment or our health. At the moment, reducing, |
| One problem here in the UK is that clear glass cullet is | | | | reusing or recycling our waste is the best solution we |
| very much in demand. We produce a lot of clear | | | | have. |