Fédération Européenne des Recycleurs de Verre

Sorting tips

Golden Rules to ensure the effective recycling of packaging and flat glass

My bottle is empty : SORTING TIPS

What can you do with empty packaging glass ? As a consumer, you decide what happens to used packaging glass. In Belgium, e.g. we have a well-organised Fost Plus collection system stimulating collection through bottle banks in addition to many alternatives such as door-to-door collection and the very successful container parks. You, as a consumer, have a large influence on the life cycle of packaging glass, so we find it necessary to inform you.

 

WHAT BELONGS IN THE BOTTLE BANK?

You can take your empty bottles and jars to the glass container. We prefer free of food remainers .

 

WHAT DOES NOT BELONG IN THE BOTTLE BANK?

NOT EXAMPLES REASON ALTERNATIVE
Ceramics, stone and porcelain Plates, cups, vases, stones, stone jars, figurines, etc. These materials do not melt in the glass furnace and make new bottles unfit for use. Container park – building waste or coarse waste
Loose metals Batteries, nails, razor blades, spraying cans, tins, etc. These materials do not melt in the glass furnace and make new bottles unfit for use. Container park – building waste or coarse waste
Flat glass Windows, mirrors, wire glass, laminated glass (car windows), tempered glass. Metals do not melt in the glass furnace and make new bottles unfit for use. In addition, they damage the furnace. Container park – metal waste
Heat-resistant glass

Oven trays, Pyrex, coffee pots,glass cooking plates, furnace windows, protective elements of fireplaces, etc.

 The composition of this glass differs from bottle glass.
The melting point of these types of glass is too high so they cannot be melted in the glass furnace. New bottles are unfit for use.

Container park – flat glass

 
Lamps Bulbs, fluorescent lamps, car lights, neon tubes. This glass has a different composition and might contain heavy metals. Container park – coarse waste
Container park: fluo = hazardous wastebulbs = coarse waste

household appliance stores
TV screens television or computer screens They contain heavy metals that disrupt the melting process.

Container park: amber products
Waste Food and drink, paper, cardboard, wood, plastics, kitchen waste and other material, plastic bags. This type of waste disrupts the recycling process Container park, garbage bag, etc. 
 
 

My window is broken : SORTING TIPS!

  What can you do with broken windows? As a consumer, you can decide on the future of your broken flat glass. A growing number of container parks joint the collection system for flat glass. A thorough training of park guards, an unambiguous sorting message to the environmentally conscious consumer and a well-organized collection and processing system give used flat glass a new life. Because you, as a consumer, have a large influence on the life cycle of broken flat glass, so we find it necessary to inform you.
 

WHAT BELONGS IN THE FLAT GLASS CONTAINERS?

  • reinforced float glass (wire glass)
  • mirrors
  • double glazing (with or without separators)
  • greenhouse glazing (uncoated)
  • tempered float glass
  • single float glazing
  • coloured float glass
 

WHAT DOES NOT BELONG IN THE FLAT GLASS CONTAINERS?

  • Other types of glass, such as bottles (packaging glass), lamps, television screens, laboratory equipment, etc.
  • Laminated glass (car windows, bullet-proof windows): these types of glass require special treatment. Mixing them with ordinary flat glass hinders the recycling of flat glass.
  • Ceramic glass (glass cooking plates, furnace windows, etcetera): the composition of this glass is so different from that of usual flat glass that we must keep it separated from this flow.
  • Waste: does not belong in a glass container at all!
 
 

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