The glass recycling market in the U.S. shows a mixed performance compared to global efforts. The national glass recycling rate is about 30 percent (this rate varies significantly across states, with some achieving higher rates due to effective deposit return systems and robust recycling programs). U.S. rates are lower than most European countries, where recycling rates can exceed 85 percent. This disparity is largely due to differences in infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, and public participation.
According to Scott DeFife, president of Glass Packaging Institute, in Europe, high recycling rates are driven by comprehensive deposit return schemes, extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs that emphasize quality and more robust public collection systems. Many countries have set exemplary standards in glass recycling through efficient policies and active public engagement. The European Union’s ambitious recycling targets and mandates for member states further drive these efforts.
“By contrast, the U.S. faces challenges such as contamination in a single-stream recycling systems and inconsistent access to recycling facilities across states,” DeFife said. “While there is established infrastructure for glass recycling in areas of high production, improvements are possible with technology adoption and contamination reduction that would increase processing efficiency.” Additionally, as DeFife explained, the focus on quality is less stringent, leading to a substantial amount of collected glass ending up in landfills after being delivered to a single-stream material recovery facility (MRF). The U.S. has the potential to double the glass recycling rate if the needed infrastructure and policies were adopted more broadly.
Mark Whitley, founder and chief executive officer of Whits Services Corporation, a waste and recycling company, said that in the U.S., glass recycling rates have traditionally been lower than in some other countries.
“As of my last update, the recycling rate of glass in the U.S. was around 31.3 percent in 2018 according to the EPA. In contrast, several European countries have much higher rates,” Whitley said. “Countries like Belgium, Sweden, and Switzerland have reported glass container recycling rates of over 90 percent, due largely to extended producer responsibility programs and comprehensive deposit-return systems.”
When looking at how glass recycling works in different countries, there is much knowledge to gain. For example, as Whitley explained, Germany and the Netherlands are very good at it, with more than 70 percent of their glass getting recycled successfully.
“Their success comes from having effective deposit return plans, which encourage people to bring back their glass bottles. I believe we can gain much knowledge from their methods to improve our own recycling efforts,” Whitley said.
On the other side, countries like India and China are progressing but still face problems. They invest money in new recycling systems, yet they struggle with issues such as efficient waste collection and raising people’s awareness about it.
“Observing how these countries manage their recycling issues provides both inspiration and lessons,” Whitley said.
Recycling glass can seem simple, but it is really quite complex. As Whitley explained, glass has the ability to be recycled many times without losing its quality. However, the industry still faces some issues. “In the United States, about 33 percent of glass containers are being recycled. It’s a start, but there’s definitely room for improvement,” Whitley said. “From my experience, just having the latest technology is not sufficient, even if it is important. We need a setup where technology, public involvement and good policies all cooperate together. It’s like putting together a giant puzzle where each piece has to fit perfectly.”
Joy Rifkin, sustainability manager at LRS, said that glass recycling in the U.S. involves breaking bottles and jars in recycling trucks, or promptly at the MRF using a glass breaker. The broken glass is then sent for secondary processing and cleaning at a separate facility, before being heated and formed into new bottles and jars.
“This process is laborious, involves numerous steps, and isn’t economically viable,” Rifkin said. “In other countries, there are still strong bottle return programs. In those programs, the glass is unbroken, which allows for much easier cleaning, sanitation, and re-use. You may remember this existing in the U.S. in the mid-1900s. Families returned their milk bottles so they could be cleaned and refilled. These systems exist at a much smaller scale than they did in the past. Although glass recycling is happening in the U.S., there are numerous barriers preventing it from being more sustainable and profitable.”
Issues to Address
Contamination is a key issue affecting the glass recyclability rate within the U.S. As Whitley explained, glass collected for recycling can be contaminated with other materials, which makes it difficult to recycle.
Additionally, proximity to facilities is another key factor. The distance between recycling centers and glass processing plants can be great, further increasing transportation costs and carbon footprint.
“Demand for cullet also fluctuates, and when demand is low, it can diminish the economic incentive to recycle,” Whitley said. “And there are technology limitations. The technology available for sorting and processing recycled glass may not always be advanced enough to deal with different colors of glass or to remove all impurities.”
Rifkin added that the recycling industry needs people to put the right items into their recycling bins. At LRS, we recycle glass using a cyclone separator, which uses circular air to pull heavy glass pieces down and suck lightweight pieces of paper and plastic upwards.
The sorting of glass also involves money, equipment and carbon emissions. And glass, a heavy material, requires additional fuel for transport, making it less economically viable to move.
“That increased weight also results in increased particulate emissions. Glass processing and recycling involves many steps, and this process needs to be simplified to be environmentally and economically sound,” Rifkin said. “Although glass is an incredibly sustainable material made from sand and limestone, it is not necessarily an economically beneficial recycling commodity. LRS recycles glass because it’s the right thing to do, not because we make a large profit from marketing this commodity. If glass was considered a more valuable resource, or the recycling process was easier and cheaper, this would greatly impact the glass recycling ecosystem.”
Opportunities for Education
Many city and county governments conduct local campaigns to educate their residents about recycling programs available in their area. As Whitley pointed out, these can include community workshops, informational mailings, and school programs. States like California and Massachusetts, which have robust recycling programs, often have state-funded educational initiatives focused on recycling.
“Companies that handle waste and recycling services also educate through direct communication with their customers, providing proper sorting guides and other informational materials,” Whitley said.
LRS works with schools, community groups, universities, businesses, cultural institutions, municipalities and non-profit organizations to educate on the importance and challenges of glass recycling. The company also released a virtual MRF tour, a City of Chicago interactive blue cart recycling map, a coloring book for kids, and other resources to educate the communities they serve.
“In the last year and a half, we’ve hosted over 800 visitors at The LRS Exchange MRF to lift the veil and showcase the recycling process,” Rifkin said. “Education is paramount to increased recycling success. We highlight the realities of glass recycling and share the successes and struggles with the communities we serve.”
DeFife pointed out that various industry groups and partnerships are actively working to improve glass recycling rates. The broader glass supply chain and a variety of end-market stakeholders came together a decade ago to form the Glass Recycling Coalition (GRC). This group meets regularly for industry wide collaboration and education initiatives.
The work of the GRC eventually led to the creation of a 501c3 charitable foundation, the Glass Recycling Foundation (GRF) that offers grants to local communities that need help with infrastructure and equipment to start or expand glass recycling programs across the country.
“Another step by players in the glass market is to promote and invest in recycling infrastructure. This includes collaborating with municipalities, waste management companies, and recycling facilities to enhance collection, sorting, and processing capabilities for glass materials,” DeFife said. “By investing in state-of-the-art recycling facilities and technology, we aim to make glass recycling more efficient and accessible to consumers and businesses alike.”
DeFife stressed that education and awareness campaigns play a crucial role in encouraging recycling behavior among consumers. Glass packaging manufacturers, along with industry associations like the Glass Packaging Institute, actively engage in educational initiatives to inform consumers about the importance of recycling glass and how to sort and dispose of glass waste properly.
“By raising awareness about the environmental benefits of glass recycling, we aim to instill a sense of responsibility and encourage sustainable practices among consumers,” DeFife
Steps To Take
So what needs to be done to improve the level of glass recycling in the U.S.? Enhancing public awareness on the importance of recycling glass and providing clear information on how to recycle correctly is paramount.
“Upgrading recycling facilities with the latest technology for sorting and processing glass more efficiently,” Whitley said. “This could include investing in machines that can better sort glass by color or remove contaminants. Enacting EPR laws that make producers responsible for the lifecycle of their products can encourage the design of products with recycling in mind and facilitate better recycling processes.”
DeFife added that prioritizing contamination management is essential, and dedicated glass collection systems can significantly reduce contamination levels. He suggested that a simple change in state waste management policy in a dozen states that have glass manufacturing facilities but no other bottle deposit or EPR for packaging laws to require glass be diverted from landfills to the greatest extent possible, would immediately make it easier to access the glass needed and spur investment in new glass recycling processing facilities that would feed nearby glass manufacturing facilities.
“Keeping glass out of landfills is the number one step any state or local government policy or contract could take that would boost glass recycling rates in the US,” DeFife said.
He also pointed out that policies such as EPR for Packaging and Bottle Deposit Return are more complicated and take time to build out, but are effective at boosting glass recycling rates. GPI has engaged and testified in support of several EPR for Packaging and DRS expansions in a half-dozen states, which we estimate will increase the amount of glass recovered and recycled by over half a million tons.
“As this trend continues, and as more states approach EPR or consider DRS for beverage containers, we believe that the industry could see over one million additional tons of glass recovered, diverted from U.S. landfills, and used domestically for making new bottles by the end of the decade,” DeFife said.
Investments in modernizing and expanding recycling facilities, especially in regions with outdated equipment, will also improve the efficiency of glass recycling.
“Expanding DRS systems across more states will incentivize consumers to return glass containers for recycling. Research and development of advanced sorting and processing technologies will also enhance the quality and efficiency of glass recycling,” DeFife said. “Collaboration with policymakers to harmonize these regulations will create a more consistent and effective recycling system.”
Whitley further believes that in order to help improve the glass recycling efforts in the U.S., closed-loop recycling systems must be utilized.
“These systems attempt to transform recycled glass back into new containers, which helps in reducing the use of raw materials and minimizing waste,” Whitley said. “Creating a closed loop helps recycling become more efficient and sustainable.”
With new technology and focus on closed-loop systems, the glass recycling industry is moving toward a more sustainable future.
“It is about observing what functions effectively in different regions and then applying those concepts in our own manner,” Whitley said.
Rifkin added that the recycling industry needs the next generation of scientists, policy makers and engineers to think outside the box. “How can we recycle this material more efficiently? How can we tap into the discussions happening in the packaging world to include glass in the conversation? How can we invent innovative equipment to recover glass more effectively? How can we prevent this durable, sustainable material from ending up in our landfills?” Rifkin said. “We are optimistic and excited to see the future of glass recycling.”