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> broken glass isn't recyclable Super curious as to why that might be the case. Isn't breaking glass the first part of recycling? Perhaps it's a safety issue?

unsnap_biceps 2y ago
My recycling is picked up by a truck with an arm. It goes high up and is dumped into the truck and you can hear the glass breaking as it falls. Maybe it's different elsewhere but I can't imagine mine gives a hoot if it's pre-broken or not.
linsomniac 2y ago
I've wondered about whether the handling of the recycling container ends up with significant amounts of broken glass. According to this page (echoed on other pages) you are on the right track with the safety issue, but also they aren't equipped to separate the glass fragments from other recycling. https://recyclecoach.com/blog/is-broken-glass-recyclable/ https://recyclecoach.com/blog/is-broken-glass-recyclable/
BrandoElFollito 2y ago
I guess in France (and I've seen this pretty much everywhere in Europe) the glass go into a green bin with a protective thingie at the top, falls down and shatters - so broken glass isn't for sure an issue here.
- OptionOfT 2y ago
  In Los Angeles and Phoenix glass goes into the recycling bin, together with aluminum cans, plastic bottles etc. Here the idea is that you throw it into recycling and that it gets sorted at the recycling facility. We are told not to crush cans before throwing them in recycling as crushing them makes it harder to separate them. It's very different from when I lived in Belgium. Glass went into glass recycling, plastic in a blue bag (and they checked, a LOT), refuse in the grey bin, and there are battery recycling stations EVERYWHERE. And the way they encourage you to sort your trash in Belgium is by weighing your trash (container full - container empty = weight of trash), and you pay for that. So cheating and throwing your glass into your refuse container will end up costing you.
  - BrandoElFollito 2y ago
    Both solutions are OK, we have the in between one where people are expected to do their duty. Which they do or not. The recycling was solicited a few years ago with just 3 bins: green for glass, yellow for paper, plastic, metal and a few other things and brown for generic trash
Symbiote 2y ago
Pyrex (borosilicate) glass shouldn't be mixed with normal glass.

unsnap_biceps 2y ago

My recycling is picked up by a truck with an arm. It goes high up and is dumped into the truck and you can hear the glass breaking as it falls. Maybe it's different elsewhere but I can't imagine mine gives a hoot if it's pre-broken or not.

linsomniac 2y ago

I've wondered about whether the handling of the recycling container ends up with significant amounts of broken glass. According to this page (echoed on other pages) you are on the right track with the safety issue, but also they aren't equipped to separate the glass fragments from other recycling. https://recyclecoach.com/blog/is-broken-glass-recyclable/ https://recyclecoach.com/blog/is-broken-glass-recyclable/

BrandoElFollito 2y ago

I guess in France (and I've seen this pretty much everywhere in Europe) the glass go into a green bin with a protective thingie at the top, falls down and shatters - so broken glass isn't for sure an issue here.

OptionOfT 2y ago
In Los Angeles and Phoenix glass goes into the recycling bin, together with aluminum cans, plastic bottles etc. Here the idea is that you throw it into recycling and that it gets sorted at the recycling facility. We are told not to crush cans before throwing them in recycling as crushing them makes it harder to separate them. It's very different from when I lived in Belgium. Glass went into glass recycling, plastic in a blue bag (and they checked, a LOT), refuse in the grey bin, and there are battery recycling stations EVERYWHERE. And the way they encourage you to sort your trash in Belgium is by weighing your trash (container full - container empty = weight of trash), and you pay for that. So cheating and throwing your glass into your refuse container will end up costing you.
- BrandoElFollito 2y ago
  Both solutions are OK, we have the in between one where people are expected to do their duty. Which they do or not. The recycling was solicited a few years ago with just 3 bins: green for glass, yellow for paper, plastic, metal and a few other things and brown for generic trash

Symbiote 2y ago

Pyrex (borosilicate) glass shouldn't be mixed with normal glass.