Pain in the Glass: Glass Recycling in NYS and the Importance of the Bottle Bill
The Issue With Glass
Glass is a highly recyclable material, but when it comes to glass recycling in NYS, there is room to improve. For this article, we’ll focus primarily on glass bottles and containers* and look at two common ways that this type of glass gets repurposed through recycling bins, and the NYS bottle bill.
*Other types of glass, such as kitchenware, windows, or other items, are often not accepted in local recycling systems. You can check your local guidelines through our database here to learn more.
Glass Placed in Recycling Bins
Recycling glass isn’t as clear as it seems. It’s heavy, breaks easily, and often gets contaminated in the bin, making it hard to turn into new containers. In New York, most glass that is placed in the recycling bin is:
beneficially reused at landfills in road construction and as cover for the day’s trash deposits (also called Alternate Daily Cover)
mixed into asphalt or construction fill
at a small minority of recycling facilities, contaminated glass is disposed of in the landfill
While some of these outcomes don’t lead to glass-to-glass circularity, they do allow for reuse of the material and reduce extraction of new resources. The most effective way to recycle glass into new containers is by returning it through a Bottle Bill redemption center or reverse vending machine, where it stays clean, separated, and actually gets recycled. Learn more about that next!
Glass Recycled through the NYS Bottle Bill
When you return your glass bottles to a center or machine that pays out 5¢ per bottle, you’re using the NYS Bottle Bill system. This is the most effective way to turn used glass bottles into new glass bottles or a new glass product as opposed to placing it in the recycling bin. Because although glass can be endlessly recycled into new glass products, logistically, most glass placed in recycling bins in NYS is not.
Glass containers returned through the 5-cent deposit system are most often turned into new glass containers or made into fiberglass. Rethink the recycling bin for this material and redeem your glass deposit bottles instead to be sure they are recycled to their highest use.
Not sure what can be returned for a deposit? 🤔 Here’s a look at what is currently accepted and excluded through the NYS Bottle Bill. When in doubt, look for “NY 5¢” on the label:
-
sparkling water and wine coolers, non-carbonated, unsweetened water, beer and malt beverages, and carbonated soft drinks
-
glass good jars, non-carbonated juice, tea, or energy drinks, wine, liquor and spirits bottles, dairy products, and glass from household items.
New Solutions on the Horizon
While glass recycling in NYS might not be ideal, there are already creative improvements being made. Your recycled glass might even help protect our coasts and light up our roads.
At the Alfred University Center for Glass Innovation, researchers are turning waste glass into glow-in-the-dark microbeads for roadways and trails. These beads charge up by day and shine bright at night, creating safer streets, reducing energy use, and creating beautiful bike paths. Additionally, the Blue Barrier project is blending recycled glass into self-healing concrete sea walls. Inspired by ancient Roman technology, these eco-friendly barriers could help defend New York’s coastlines from rising seas.
