Recycling plant in Germany
Once we know that they are not the same material and, therefore, each one needs a different recycling process, it is time to know and be clear about the place where each of them is deposited to be reused.
For its part, the orange or gray container is the right one to leave the remains of glass waste. Previously, it was thought that this container was for organic waste, however, you can leave these wastes, as long as they do not pose any danger or are not toxic. Thus, it is the right place for:
Recycling in Germany
The first step is to take waste into account at the time of purchase so as not to generate unnecessary waste. Then, at home, recycling techniques should be applied so that our garbage becomes something else and does not end up polluting a watercourse, container or in a landfill.
Step #2. Learn to recycle together: You have to learn what types of items can be recycled and everyone should be clear on this to avoid misunderstandings at the collection baskets. It is good to make a list of these items: paper, magazines, office file sheets, cereal boxes, plastic, bags, food containers, food cans, cardboard, glass bottles so that everyone can see it. In homes and offices choose to have baskets of different colors to differentiate materials. It is important the moment of doubt when throwing away the waste, just there is where knowledge is strengthened.
Step #3. Understand what can not be recycled: There are some materials that are not recyclable, so you have to know what they are so as not to mislead. Keep in mind that education and knowledge are the 80% guarantee of a good recycling at home: stickers, broken glass, mirrors, aerosols, ceramics, sanitary waste.
Recycling companies in Germany
This recycling reduces the amount of waste to landfill, which saves both raw materials and energy compared to the manufacture of glass from new raw materials.
Every kilogram of recycled material can be reused and recycled again. Glass is an ideal material for recycling, as it can be recycled an infinite number of times without losing its properties.
The use of recycled glass helps to save energy in its production (up to 60 %), is less expensive, helps to reduce the waste eventually sent to waste plants and landfills and reduces the consumption of raw materials.
Recycled glass requires 26 % less energy than making it from scratch and reduces air emissions from manufacturing by 20 %, polluting 40 % less water, which is equivalent to saving approximately 1.2 kilograms of virgin material, as well as every ton of waste glass that is recycled prevents 315 kilograms of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere during glass manufacturing.[4]
Where to dispose of broken glass
But what if we told you that in reality most of the glasses we use are not made of glass? There is a lot of confusion about this issue, and the fact is that most of the tableware we use is made of GLASS.
Many times we confuse these two materials, glass and crystal, and we use them interchangeably, but they are not the same! It is important to know the differences between glass and crystal, as distinguishing between them will help us a lot in our recycling efforts.
While crystal is a perfect solid that incorporates lead oxide, which has a regular atomic structure, glass has an irregular structure, the result of the fusion of different raw materials: silica, soda and limestone.
As we have already seen, the type of container will depend on the type of glass it is. If we want to throw away a glass tumbler, it should be deposited in the green container. If, on the other hand, it is glass, it is best to take it to the clean point or, if it is simply a broken glass, we can dispose of it in the gray waste container.