Answers to your glass bin questions
Why can't all glass items go in the purple bin? Can I leave the lids on bottles and jars?
These are the common questions you ask us about using your purple glass bin. Read on to fact check your knowledge.
Using your glass bin correctly means your bottles and jars can be turned into new things, like glass jars and even roads!
Why can’t all glass go in this bin?
Glass bottles and jars used for food, drinks, medicines and some toiletries can be recycled together because they melt at the same temperature. Other glass items, such as window glass have a different chemical composition to glass bottles. They may also contain additives for tinting, and have different melting points. If they are added during the recycling process, they affect the quality of the recycled glass. This can cause the recycled glass to break or explode, so they cannot be recycled together.
What do I do with other glass items?
If your glass items are reusable and undamaged, such as drinking glasses, pyrex dishes or mirrors, consider donating them to a charity or op-shop. Otherwise they must go in your landfill bin (red lid). Light bulbs and fluorescent tubes are the only exception and must be disposed of (for free) at a drop-off site. Visit surfcoast.vic.gov.au/dropoff to find a drop-off location near you.
Can bottle caps and jar lids go in the glass-only bin?
No. Remove ALL lids before you put bottles and jars in your glass-only bin.
Metal lids from beer bottles and aluminium screw tops from wine and spirit bottles can go in your recycling bin (yellow lid). Metal lids from jars like jam, pasta, sauce etc. can also go in your recycling bin.
Large plastic lids from jars (e.g. vegemite, peanut butter etc.) can go in your recycling bin.
Plastic lids smaller than a credit card are too small for the machinery to identify and sort. Put these in your landfill bin (red lid).
Are plastic or garbage bags allowed?
Glass must go in to purple bin loose. Any glass in plastic bags cannot be recycled. The bags can damage machines at the sorting facilities and pose a safety risk to staff, as they may conceal sharp objects.
Don’t put cardboard boxes filled with glass bottles in your purple bin either. Keep your glass bottles and jars loose/
Do my glass bottles and jars need to be clean?
Your glass bottles and jars must be free from food, liquid or other substances before they go in the bin. Lightly rinse or scrape out any contents before recycling to ensure they can be turned into new glass products.
The life cycle of glass
Purchase: You buy products in glass bottles and jars. Recycle: You put glass bottles and jars in your purple bin. Collect: Trucks take your glass to a recycling facility. Sort: Your glass is sorted and separated. Manufacture: Glass is melted down and shaped into new bottles and jars. Distribute: New bottles and jars are filled with products and sent out to stores.