Glass Recycling Facts

Glass packaging makes up 8-10% by weight of UK household waste.

On average, each person in the UK uses 110 glass bottles and jars per year. Only 27% of these (about 30) get recycled.

Glass is made of sand, soda ash and limestone.

Glass bottles need to be sorted into their different colours (clear, green & blue or brown) before they are recycled.

Crushed glass, called cullet, is used to make recycled bottles.

Window glass and drinking glasses cannot be recycled with glass bottles as they contain additional materials.

Glass bottles can be re-used, if they are strong enough to survive collection, cleaning and refilling. 

Milk bottles can be re-used up to 20 times. 

Many glass bottles used in pubs are re-used too.