Correct disposal and seperation of glass waste

• Dispose of waste glass by putting them in the glass recycling container.
• Ensure that white, green and brown glass are separated correctly.
• Even better: use reusable containers.

The use of waste glass in the production of new glass significantly reduces the consumption of primary raw materials and energy, as well as cutting down on water and air pollution. For example, the energy required for melting decreases by up to 3% for every 10% of chip usage. Furthermore, this eliminates the need to send waste glass to landfill sites.

Dispose glass in the recycling bin: In Germany, glass recycling bins are almost always within walking distance of residential areas. To save yourself additional fuel costs, take your waste glass to the container on foot or by bicycle instead of transporting it by car. Removing screw caps also reduces the amount of unusable waste glass. Only so-called container glass (bottles, preserving jars, etc.) belongs in the glass recycling bin. Under no circumstances should porcelain, ceramics, lead crystal glasses, drinking glasses, or heat-resistant glass (e.g. microwave or ovenware) be placed in the glass recycling container. They belong in residual waste, as do window and mirror glass. Light bulbs, including energy-saving and LED bulbs, must be disposed of separately via collection boxes or recycling centres. 

Choosing the right colour is important: The more uniform the sorted colours of the collected glass are, the more waste glass can be used in the production of new items. Otherwise, 'impurities' in the colour result in 'intermediate tones' that consumers do not desire. Therefore, make sure you use the disposal hole for the correct colour of glass. If you are unsure (e.g. for white or green glass), use the green glass container.

Reusable – the better option: Although new glass packaging can be made from waste glass, reusable packaging is still the better option than single-use glass packaging. For example, reusable glass bottles (Mehrwegflaschen) can be refilled over 40 times. However, due to their weight, single-use glass packaging has a poorer environmental impact than other single-use packaging, such as cardboard or plastic.

What else you can do: 

• Please ensure that you do not throw reusable bottles into the container. It is better both financially and environmentally to return them for a deposit.
• Please observe the quiet hours: Glass recycling is generally only permitted on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Keep the area around the containers clean and do not place cardboard boxes or plastic bags next to them.
• Please take a look at our tips on reusable bottles (Mehrwegflaschen).

The reusable symbol helps to distinguish reusable bottles from single-use bottles.

Source: Arbeitskreis Mehrweg GbR

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The "Blauer Engel" ecolabel is available for reusable to-go systems.

Source: Blauer Engel

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Glass can be melted down and processed into new products as many times as required. Since waste glass melts at a lower temperatures than the raw materials required for glass production, each percentage point of cullet added reduces energy consumption by approximately 0.3%. Recycling glass reduces the environmental impact of the glass-melting process (e.g.: CO₂ emissions) and conserves landfill space for waste. The saving of raw materials (including quartz sand, soda and lime) also reduces environmental impact. The amount of waste glass used in glass production has been increasing steadily since waste glass collection began in the early 1970s. From 1 January 1996 onwards, the Packaging Ordinance stipulated an annual glass recycling rate of at least 70%, rising to 75% from 1 January 1999. Since 1 January 2019, the Packaging Act has stipulated that 80% of glass placed on the market must be prepared for reuse or recycling. From 1 January 2022, the rate even increaded to 90%. The collection rate increased from 78.8% in 1996 to a peak of 91.2% in 2004, but then fell again to 82.5% (2009) (UBA 2012). In 2022, the rate was 80.1% (UBA 2024). 

In 2024, a total of 6.686 million tonnes of glass and mineral fibres were produced in Germany. The main product groups were container glass, at around 3.788 million tonnes, and flat glass, at 1.794 million tonnes. Container glass is particularly used in the food and drink industry for selling goods such as beverages and yoghurt.

Further information can be found at: Glas und Altglas (UBA – data page)

Sources:

• UBA (2012): Aufkommen und Verwertung von Verpackungsabfällen in Deutschland im Jahr 2010
• UBA (2022): Aufkommen und Verwertung von Verpackungsabfällen in Deutschland im Jahr 2022
• Bundesverband Glasindustrie e.V.: Produktion von Glas und Glaswaren nach Branchensektoren: 2023 und 2024