Commercial Glass Recycling & Waste Collection Services

Container glass, such as bottles and jars, can be recycled repeatedly without losing quality when it is collected and processed correctly. It is sorted, cleaned, colour-separated, crushed into cullet, and melted into new glass products.

How it’s recycled:

• Glass is collected and taken to a dedicated recycling facility.
• Contaminants like paper, metals, lids, and labels are removed.
• The glass is washed and colour-separated.
• It is crushed into cullet, then heated to around 1000°C.
• The molten glass is shaped into new bottles, jars, window glass or used in products such as road surfacing and construction materials.

Recycling glass uses far less energy than manufacturing new glass from raw materials such as sand and limestone, which helps reduce carbon emissions.

All commercial glass Business Waste collects is recycled away from landfill to protect the environment.

Most businesses use dedicated glass recycling bins to keep bottles and jars separate from other materials. This prevents contamination and ensures the glass can be processed correctly.

Depending on your waste output, you may use:

• Bottle bins
• Wheelie bins for mixed glass
• Glass-only containers for hospitality and manufacturing
• Secure bins for high volumes of broken or mixed glass

If you produce specialist glass waste such as windowpanes or treated glass, this may need a separate container due to its chemical composition.

We’ll advise on the correct bins for your site during your waste assessment.

Glass recycling has a positive environmental impact, but sending glass to landfill creates avoidable harm.

Using recycled glass cullet reduces the need for raw materials and lowers the energy needed for melting. British Glass states that every 10% addition of cullet can reduce energy use by 3% and CO₂ by 5%.

Container glass, such as bottles and jars, has strong closed-loop recycling potential. Specialist glass may need a separate route because it can contain different materials or melt at different temperatures. The more you recycle, the less waste goes to landfill and the smaller your carbon footprint becomes.

Learn more about how to reduce glass waste.

Glass waste refers to any used, broken, or unwanted glass items produced by a business. This could be:

• Bottles and jars
• Drinking glasses
• Glassware used in hospitality or labs
• Damaged panels, panes, or glazing
• Cosmetic or food containers

Different industries also produce specialist types of glass such as borosilicate glass, glass fibre, or toughened safety glass, all of which can be recycled but must be processed separately.

If your business produces glass in any form, it must be stored properly and collected by a licensed waste carrier.

Yes. Broken glass can be recycled in the same way as intact bottles and jars, as it will be crushed into cullet during processing.

For safety:

• At home, wrap broken glass in paper or place it inside a cardboard box if using mixed recycling.
• In commercial settings, broken glass can typically be placed straight into your designated glass recycling bin.

Specialist glass, such as shattered windows or toughened glass, may require a separate container due to its chemical properties.

Once collected, your glass waste is taken to a licensed glass recycling plant. There it is:

• Checked
• Sorted
• Cleaned
• Reprocessed into new products

Some UK recycling facilities also export cullet for processing abroad, but the material is always recycled rather than sent to landfill.

This ensures full compliance with environmental legislation and helps support the circular economy.

See how we can help you with business recycling.