Glass Recycling

Glass is an ideal material for recycling, both because of the purity of the ingredients and the quick turnaround of recycling. The use of recycled glass in new containers helps save energy, conserves raw materials, reduces energy consumption, and reduces the volume of waste sent to landfill. Glass containers actually begin their life as readily-available domestic materials, such as sand, soda ash or limestone.

Here are the facts:

• Glass containers are 100 percent recyclable, and recovered glass is used as the majority ingredient in new glass containers. The typical glass container is made up of as much as 70 percent recycled glass.
• Glass containers produced today are 40 percent lighter than when they were 20 years ago, making them much easier to recycle.
• Every ton of glass that is recycled results in one ton of raw materials saved to process new glass, including: 1,300 pounds of sand, 410 pounds of soda ash and 380 pounds of limestone. To create new glass, substances such as sand must be heated to 2,600° Fahrenheit, which consumes energy and creates pollution from factories.
• Recycled glass first becomes “cullet,” or crushed glass. When making new products from cullet, 40 percent less energy is consumed in place of making glass from new products, because it melts at a lower temperature than virgin ingredients.
• Glass containers come in four different colors: clear, blue, brown and green; glass must be separated by color to ensure that new glass is not created from a mix of colors.
• Most recycling programs will only accept glass containers, because other glass products such as drinking glasses, lightbulbs, mirrors and Pyrex are treated with contaminants when manufactured.
• A 2005 study by the Beverage Packaging Environmental Council found that 18 percent of glass bottles are consumed at bars or restaurants.
• It is estimated that 80 percent of recycled glass, as a whole, will end up as new glass containers.
• Unlike other substances such as paper, glass can be recycled infinitely without any loss of purity or quality.
• A glass bottle can take up to one million years to breakdown.
• A recycled glass container can go from a recycling bin to a store shelf in as little as 30 days.
• Because glass is made from naturally-occurring materials like sand, it has a low rate of chemical interaction with the contents of the container, which makes it a safe material to be reused.
• Recycled glass can be used in numerous areas, such as creating sports turf, manufacturing kitchen tiles and providing sand to depleted beaches.

The following is a list of some Eco-Bins placed around Trinidad. The list and the bins provided by Carib Glass Works www.caribglass.com/recycle.html.

EAST:
Grand Bazaar - Valsayn
Pepsi Cola Trinidad Ltd - Tissue Drive, Trincity Industrial, Trincity
The University of the West Indies - Biological Society, St. Augustine
Tunapuna Government Secondary - Tunapuna

WEST:
Crews Inn - Chaguaramas Terminals Drive, Pointe Gourde. Chaguaramas.
Bayside Towers - 219-221 Western Main Road, Cocorite.
Victoria Gdns Resident Assn - North - 37 Vanda Road, Victoria Gdns, Diego Martin.
Trinidad Hilton& Conference Centre - Lady Young Road, St. Anns
The Towers Ltd - Caribe - West Moorings By-the-Sea, West Moorings
The Towers Ltd - Arawak - West Moorings By-the-Sea, West Moorings
The Towers Ltd. - Ciboney - West Moorings By-the-Sea, West Moorings
Fantasy Palace - Le Platte. Morne Coco Road, Maraval
Diego Martin Consumers Co-Operative - Tru-Valu, Cor. Garnet Road & Diamond Vale.
Harbour View Ltd. - Ocean Boulevard, West Moorings
Dunross Preparatory School - 96A St. Anthony Drive, West Moorings
Trinidad Distillers Ltd - Eastern Main Road, Laventille

NORTH:
ALCOA - UWI Medical Sciences

CENTRAL:
Trinity Powers Limited - Railway Road, Dow Village, Couva
St. Helena Drug Mart - North St. Heena Junction, St. Helena

SOUTH:
Dip's Restaurant & Bar - Duncan Village, San Fernando
Caria Suites - Claxton Bay
Hermitage Community Council - Chapman Park, San Fernando.
Golden Rules Bar - #1 Matilda Junction, Princes Town
Was Foodmart - Circular Road, San Fernando
Atlantic LNG - Point Fortin

So what are you waiting for? Collect your glass bottles and carry them to get recycled. When shopping, choose glass!