2019 Recycling Industry Yearbook

Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc. 50 The glass recycling industry’s total economic impact in the United States is $634 million. An estimated 80% of recovered glass containers are made into new glass containers. The container and fiberglass industries purchase 3.35 million tons of recycled glass annually. Glass Glass manufacturers are requiring more and more high-quality recycled container glass to meet market demands for new glass containers. Glass can be recycled again and again with no loss in quality or purity. Every ton of glass recycled saves large quantities of raw materi- als—1,300 lbs. of sand, 410 lbs. of soda ash, 310 lbs. of limestone, and 160 lbs. of feldspar—as well as saving energy, reducing emissions, and extending the life of glass-manufacturing equipment. Furnace-ready scrap glass is called cullet . Color-sorted, contaminant-free recycled glass helps ensure that these materials are recycled into new glass containers. Drop-off and commercial collection programs help ensure that recycling programs yield high-quality container glass.