Broken glass is among the most typical waste items. The possibility of broken glass in the home exists everywhere, whether it be in the form of a wine glass, an antique vase, or even pieces of a broken window. But did you know that most individuals don’t know how to properly dispose of shattered glass?

Yes, it’s not as easy as just sweeping it up and throwing it in the trash. When disposing of shattered glass, there are a few precautions that must be taken to prevent both personal injuries to those handling it and damage to other objects in the trash can from the shards.

Check out our detailed instructions for securely disposing of shattered glass, from picking it up off the ground to placing it in your trash can. Get responses to the most frequently asked questions regarding recycling broken glass as well:

How to Dispose of Broken Glass?

Wrap the broken glass

You can’t just throw the broken pieces in the trash without first sweeping them up from the floor. You’ll need an old fabric instead that can withstand the amount of broken glass. To prevent small, dangerous fragments from escaping, make careful to tape the fabric wrapping shut. You might be wondering why you can’t simply wrap the fragments in a different material, like the newspaper. When handled, the shards can easily cut through the paper and hurt people.

Break-up larger pieces

You can shatter the glass shards into smaller pieces for easy handling once you’ve wrapped and secured them with linen. To break the pieces, use a hammer and light pressure. When you’re finished, look around to make sure no little pieces are lying on the ground.

Place wrapped shards in a box

Place the cloth-wrapped broken glass in a box with a cover after it has been wrapped and the shards have been reduced in size. Be sure to label the box to indicate that it contains shattered glass and fasten it with some strong adhesive tape. If the box is too large, think about putting more cloth on top of the wrapped glass or adding stuff within. This extra process keeps the shards safe for handling and protected inside the box.

Is broken glass recyclable?

Most of the glasses can be recycled by being melted down and formed into a new object. Why is recycling shattered glass different from recycling bottles made of intact glass? The correct response is that shattered glass cannot be put in your curbside recycling bin.

This is due to a number of factors, but the primary one is that personnel who filter through our recycled materials should avoid handling broken glass. Broken glass must be disposed of in your curbside rubbish bin because it cannot be recycled in this manner. However, it is crucial that broken glass not be “dumped” just into that trash can. When disposing of shattered glass, a few easy procedures should be taken to safeguard your safety and the safety of others.

Different types of glass

Various kinds of unbroken glass cannot be put in the curbside recycle bin, so it’s necessary to be aware of how broken glass should be disposed of as well. This is due to the fact that different types of glass are made of diverse materials, each of which melts at a different temperature. Additionally, the glass used for things like windows, mirrors, and lightbulbs contains chemicals that should not be recycled. Refer to the following list to better understand which types of glass you may recycle and which types you cannot recycle:

The glass that CAN be recycled:

• Wine bottle
• Beer bottle
• Ketchup bottles
• Applesauce jars
• Pickle jars
• Baby food jars
• Condiment jars

The glass that CAN’T be recycled:

• Drinking glasses
• Ceramics
• Oven-proof glass
• China
• Light globes
• Window/windscreen glass
• Mirrors
• Medical/laboratory glass
• White opaque bottles

Safety Tips

Any broken glass should be disposed of carefully and considerately. You may do this by making sure you take these easy actions:

• Before disposing of any shattered glass, seal it in a box or wrap it in several sheets of newspaper. This keeps the broken glass contained, protects those handling it from injury, and keeps plastic trash bags from tearing.
• So that garbage sorters or anybody else handling the rubbish is aware of its contents and can handle it with particular caution, clearly label the box or wrapped package with “broken glass.”
• To stop the item from breaking, tape up any fractured glass, including mirrors, dinner plates, and drinking glasses. For added security, it is also advised to wrap the item in paper or place it in a box.
• Larger glass pieces should be carefully broken down so they can be confined, sealed, or wrapped suitably.