Glass Recycling in Australia: What Happens to Your Bottle
Glass is recyclable, but the recycling rate in Australia is lower than most people assume. Here is what actually happens to glass in the recycling stream.
Glass is one of the most recyclable materials in existence. It can be recycled indefinitely without loss of quality. Yet Australia's glass recycling rate is approximately 60-70%, which means a significant proportion of glass packaging ends up in landfill. Understanding why helps clarify what you can do to improve the outcome.
The kerbside recycling process
When glass is placed in a kerbside recycling bin, it is collected and transported to a materials recovery facility (MRF). At the MRF, it is sorted by colour (clear, amber, green) and crushed into cullet. The cullet is sold to glass manufacturers, who melt it and use it to produce new glass. This process uses approximately 30% less energy than producing glass from virgin materials.
Contamination
The main challenge for glass recycling is contamination. Glass mixed with ceramics, pyrex, or window glass has a different melting point and can contaminate the cullet, making it unsuitable for bottle production. Broken glass mixed with other recyclables can also contaminate paper and cardboard. Some councils have moved glass to a separate bin or drop-off point to address this.
What you can do
Rinse your Reni Oils bottles before placing them in the recycling bin. Remove the dropper insert if possible (these are typically made from a combination of glass and rubber, which complicates recycling). Check your local council's guidelines for glass recycling, as requirements vary. If your council accepts glass in the kerbside bin, amber glass bottles can go directly in.