As individuals and business owners increasingly focus on sustainability, eco-friendly packaging options have topped the charts. Recycled glass jars are becoming an excellent alternative to single-use plastics. This is because it offers a durable and environmentally friendly way to store food, drinks, and household items.
Why should you consider switching to recycled glass, even if you are not a business owner? In this article, I will share five key benefits of using recycled glass bottles and big or tiny jars with lids.
What is Recycled Glass?
Recycled glass is waste processed and transformed to produce glass products like jars, bottles, windows, etc. This entire process involves collecting used glass jars, bottles, and other glass items, cleaning them, crushing them into small pieces, and then melting them down to form new glass products.
This reduces the amount of glass waste that ends up in landfills, ensuring a cyclical economy. What makes glass unique compared to other materials like plastic and tin is the fact that it can be recycled endlessly.
Benefits of Using Recycled Glass Jars and Bottles
1. It Reduces Waste
According to ResearchGate, over 3 million tonnes of glass waste are generated every year, and only 21% gets recycled in the UK. This means that a significant amount of glass waste ends up in landfills; hence, there is a need to build and promote recycling practices to ensure less or no glass waste ends up in landfills.
Glass, unlike plastic, does not degrade; hence, after they have been recycled, it still maintains its quality and durability. Hence, using these glasses as food storage jars, cosmetic jars (like the tiny jars with lids), wedding favour jars, etc, are safe and healthier options compared to plastic containers.
2. It Conserves Resources
Manufacturing glass requires the use of natural resources like soda ash, limestone and sand, which have a significant environmental impact. When items like glass jars and bottles are recycled into new or different designs of glass containers, it conserves these raw materials and also reduces the environmental impact.
In essence, using recycled glass jars and bottles helps reduce the environmental damage caused by mining and extraction.
3. It Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions
According to WRAP UK, for every tonne of glass recycled, the atmosphere is saved from 246 kg (542 pounds) of released carbon dioxide emissions. This is because manufacturing glass from scratch requires intense heat that leads to high emissions of CO₂.
This shows that using recycled glass jars for storing food products, cosmetics, and other items lowers the energy required to produce new ones and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. This emphasises the need for business owners and individuals to consider switching to glass bottles and big or tiny jars with lids as a more sustainable packaging option.
4. It Lowers Energy Consumption
As stated earlier, manufacturing new glass jars, bottles, and other glass products requires a significant amount of heat, which translates to the amount of heat needed to mine and extract glass from raw materials. Recycling requires a lesser amount of energy, reducing energy consumption. Using less energy means reduced reliance on fossil fuels, which helps slow down climate change.
If every household and business chose glass bottles and big or tiny jars with lids made from recycled materials, it would have a substantial impact on energy savings. This makes these recycled glass containers an eco-friendly and cost-effective choice.
6. It Promotes a Cyclical Economy
A cyclical economy focuses on reusing, recycling, and repurposing materials instead of discarding them and just creating new ones from scratch. A perfect example of promoting a cyclical economy is recycled glass jars and bottles. Instead of being thrown away after one use, glass containers can be collected, processed, and turned into new glass containers, like big or tiny jars with lids or other products, over and over again. This reduces waste, conserves resources, and minimises environmental harm.
Where Can I Shop for Recyclable or Recycled Glass Jars?
If you're looking for high-quality recycled glass containers or sustainable packaging options, consider sourcing from credible suppliers like Southern Jar Company, which has been trusted by both businesses and individuals for years.
Southern Jar Company offers discounted prices for both retail and wholesale purchases, which means you do not have to sacrifice quality for affordability. When unsure of your specifications, you can contact us to help you identify which glass container meets your needs perfectly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can all glass jars be recycled?
Most glass jars can be recycled, but there are some exceptions. Glass items like ovenproof dishes, Pyrex, and light bulbs have different compositions and should not be mixed with standard recyclable glass. Generally, it is always necessary to check with your local recycling centre for specific guidelines.
What happens to glass after it’s been recycled?
Once the glass is collected, sorted by colour, cleaned, crushed into small pieces (called cullet), and melted down to create new glass products, the melted glass is shaped into different glass products such as bottles and jars with lids (like wedding favour jars or Bonta jars, hexagonal jars, etc).
Can broken glass be recycled?
This depends on whether the broken glass is from a recyclable glass. However, for safety reasons, many recycling facilities prefer whole glass items, but you can always check with your local council to see if they accept broken glass.
What can you do with recycled glass storage jars?
Recycled glass containers with lids can be used in many ways, such as storing dry goods like pasta, rice, or spices, using them as candle holders, organising office supplies, etc.