Recycling Glass

Oh recycling, I love you so! I love recycling so much that my husband calls me the "Recycling Police" because occasionally I'll spot something in the trash that can be recycled and I'll have a small eco-fit as I kindly point out the recycling triangle on the box, bag, or package. So I found it quite frustrating to know that even though glass is recyclable, there are no local facilities for me to take it to be recycled, leaving me no other choice but to throw it in the trash...so sad I know ) : With this in mind you can imagine my dismay when I found out that glass never breaks down in a landfill...ever! That means all the glass I throw away now will still be around for my children, and then their children, and then their children's children! Yikes! I think you can see know why I get the nickname, "Recycling Police!" Luckily, a few weeks later I spotted one of these big, purple bins outside of a local Price Chopper grocery store that read, "Ripple Glass." So I Googled it and this is what I found out:

-A group of local companies and organizations came together to create Ripple Glass, Kansas City's first glass recycling facility and collection process.

-Glass recycling containers have been placed throughout the metro area to allow citizens convenient drop off of their glass jars, bottles, etc. (See photo to the right)

-The recycled glass will be given a second life in a sense, as it will be converted by a local company to make fiberglass insulation to help make more energy-efficient homes, as well as being used to create more glass bottles and jars!

How can I do this?

-Take your glass items like: spaghetti sauce jars, pickle jars, soda bottles, even beer and wine bottles to one of their 70+ glass recycling containers around the metro (click here to find the one closest to you). Wait a second...some items that can't go in the recycling containers are: windows, mirrors, cookware like Pyrex, or dishes. (You can see the pics that follow of me dropping off my glass items to recycle!)

-It get's even easier, because you do not have to remove labels, sort by color, or even clean them (it would probably cut down on bugs if you did though). All you have to do is simply drop them off at a purple Ripple Glass recycling center spot and you're good to go!

-Now relax knowing your glass is going to a good home...not just to sit forever in a landfill!


Find more information about the positive impact your glass recycling will have on our community and earth by clicking here.

Recycling glass...just one more way we can all go green! By the way, if you want to join my "Recycling Police Task Force" I'm accepting applications...ha ha! ( :