Why Recycle Glass Separately?

In Westport, our recycling is collected in two ways, either by a private hauler or directly at the Westport Transfer Station.  Once collected, it is transported to the Oak Ridge Materials Recovery Facility or MuRF in Shelton.  At the MuRF, the mixed recyclables are carried along a conveyor belt to a separator. The separator divides out newspaper, cardboard, and other paper items, as magnets and electric currents separate different metals, and infrared lasers sort the different types of plastic.  The sorted recyclables are then baled and sold as commodities to companies for reuse.

While it is convenient for residents to mix recyclables in the same bin, the sorting process for mixed recycling is not perfect.  Machines and employees at the MuRF cannot remove all the contamination that occurs in the recycling bin, and this contamination can result in rejected loads that end up in the landfill. 

What contamination?

Most of us have seen the partially filled containers, the soggy boxes, the plastic bags, and the shattered bottles that make their way into some recycling bins. The partially filled containers, the soggy cardboard boxes, the plastic bags, and the broken glass, all represent types of contamination that can compromise the quality of our recycling.  

Broken glass is a big problem.

Broken shards of glass can attach themselves to the other recyclables in the bin and contaminate them.  Conversely, the glass bottles and jars can also be contaminated by the bits and pieces of paper, bottle caps, metal, and straws from the mixed recycling.  The MuRF can either pay to have the glass cleaned, or if that is not possible, the contaminated glass is sent to landfills to be used as a type of alternate cover. 

There must be a solution.

The solution is simple, when you separate glass from mixed recycling, each recycling stream is freed from contamination by the other, and the value for each recycled commodity improves.  The clean, separated glass can be sold and recycled into new bottles and jars or other products such as industrial filler for cement, and the higher quality mixed recycling commodities become more marketable.

How can I recycle glass separately?

In a cooperative effort, the Town of Westport, Sustainable Westport, and the Oak Ridge Materials Recovery Facility, have arranged for a separate, ‘GLASS ONLY’ recycling container (pictured above) at the Westport Transfer Station.  Please Remember:

• Rinse your glass containers and remove lids or caps.
• Glass bottles and jars only.
• No mirror or window glass, drinking glasses, glass, ceramic, or clay, plates, cups, pots or bakeware and no lightbulbs
• Recycle your clean bottles and jars during regular Transfer Station hours.

M-F, 7am – 2:30pm, Saturday 7am- noon.

For further information contact the Department of Public Works at 203-341-1120, visit Sustainable Westport at https://www.sustainablewestport.org/ or view our Glass Recycling Brochure