Not too long ago, your used jam jars and sauce bottles may have been destined for the rubbish tip.

But thanks to some out-of-the-box thinking in the great state of Victoria, there’s now a new lease on life for used glass as more and more of it is being recycled to create new, everyday products.

From jars and bottles to roads

Victorians go through a massive 280,000 tonnes of glass per year, but many are not aware that these materials can be recycled and utilised in extraordinary ways.

The great news is that thanks to upgrades to local glass recycling facilities, more and more Victorians will soon be able to see their used glass containers recreated into everyday products.

Glass can be recycled an infinite number of times. Credit: Alexander Grey/Pexels

Not limited to peanut butter jars or pretty champagne flutes, though, recycled glass actually goes a step further: it can be used in civil and road construction!

Due to glass's fantastic ability to retain its quality and be recycled infinitely, it's proving to be an incredible resource for sustainable development.

In Victoria, tarmac surfaces are now incorporating recycled glass particles as an alternative to sand. Small pieces of glass that can’t be remade into jars and bottles are used as good substitutes for essential materials in buildings.

So, yes, you might be driving on your old wine or sauce bottles – a feat that helps reduce the demand for sand mining and boosts sustainability in construction.

Going the distance with sustainability in Victoria

Glass boosts sustainability practices in the construction industry. Credit: Polina Tankilevitch/Pexels

With the rollout of the state-wide glass recycling stream expected to be complete by 2030, it's clear that Victorians are taking a stand for sustainability.

The upgrades to Melbourne's glass sorting facility mean that even more glass from local households will be recycled in the state itself.

It also wasn’t too long ago when the new purple-lidded recycling bins – designated for glass – were introduced in Victoria.

The new colour-coded lids were designed to motivate families to step up their recycling game, reducing the need for glass products to be made from precious natural resources.

Some Victorian councils rolled out these bins last year, and it is expected that the rest of the state will have them by 2024.

You can read more details in this article.

Not only does this increase the percentage of recycled glass used in creating new products (from 30 per cent to a whopping 70 per cent), but it also helps in recycling non-glass materials more effectively.

By separating broken glass from other materials, the glass-only stream ensures that useful items, like newspapers and shampoo bottles, are not damaged, making them more suitable for recycling.

In the City of Yarra, which introduced a glass-only bin and drop-off service in 2020, a whopping 90 per cent of collected glass is being recycled into new bottles and jars, according to Sustainability Victoria.

Doing your part: Why sorting matters

The crucial takeaway from this fantastic initiative is the importance of sorting glass containers properly at home.

Sustainability Victoria's A small act makes a big impact campaign aims to educate the public on how recycling can create unique products locally if it's sorted correctly.

They also provide helpful tips and information to make sure we're all doing our part to recycle efficiently.

Key Takeaways

• Victoria is paving the way for creating new products from recycled glass, such as jam jars, sauce bottles, and even tarmac for roads.
• Upgrades to Melbourne’s glass sorting facility and the new purple-lidded glass recycling stream encourage more glass recycling, reducing reliance on natural resources.
• The City of Yarra reported that 90 per cent of glass collected through their glass-only bin and drop-off service is being recycled into new bottles and jars.
• Sustainability Victoria’s A small act makes a big impact campaign provides tips and information to help residents recycle more and correctly, showcasing unique products made from locally recycled materials.

Members, if you’ve seen any of these products popping up in your local area, then let us know in the comments below.

 

[888D.C888]

Not too long ago, your used jam jars and sauce bottles may have been destined for the rubbish tip.

But thanks to some out-of-the-box thinking in the great state of Victoria, there’s now a new lease on life for used glass as more and more of it is being recycled to create new, everyday products.

From jars and bottles to roads

Victorians go through a massive 280,000 tonnes of glass per year, but many are not aware that these materials can be recycled and utilised in extraordinary ways.

The great news is that thanks to upgrades to local glass recycling facilities, more and more Victorians will soon be able to see their used glass containers recreated into everyday products.

View attachment 21344

Glass can be recycled an infinite number of times. Credit: Alexander Grey/Pexels

Not limited to peanut butter jars or pretty champagne flutes, though, recycled glass actually goes a step further: it can be used in civil and road construction!

Due to glass's fantastic ability to retain its quality and be recycled infinitely, it's proving to be an incredible resource for sustainable development.

In Victoria, tarmac surfaces are now incorporating recycled glass particles as an alternative to sand. Small pieces of glass that can’t be remade into jars and bottles are used as good substitutes for essential materials in buildings.

So, yes, you might be driving on your old wine or sauce bottles – a feat that helps reduce the demand for sand mining and boosts sustainability in construction.

Going the distance with sustainability in Victoria

View attachment 21345

Glass boosts sustainability practices in the construction industry. Credit: Polina Tankilevitch/Pexels

With the rollout of the state-wide glass recycling stream expected to be complete by 2030, it's clear that Victorians are taking a stand for sustainability.

The upgrades to Melbourne's glass sorting facility mean that even more glass from local households will be recycled in the state itself.

It also wasn’t too long ago when the new purple-lidded recycling bins – designated for glass – were introduced in Victoria.

The new colour-coded lids were designed to motivate families to step up their recycling game, reducing the need for glass products to be made from precious natural resources.

Some Victorian councils rolled out these bins last year, and it is expected that the rest of the state will have them by 2024.

You can read more details in this article.

Not only does this increase the percentage of recycled glass used in creating new products (from 30 per cent to a whopping 70 per cent), but it also helps in recycling non-glass materials more effectively.

By separating broken glass from other materials, the glass-only stream ensures that useful items, like newspapers and shampoo bottles, are not damaged, making them more suitable for recycling.

In the City of Yarra, which introduced a glass-only bin and drop-off service in 2020, a whopping 90 per cent of collected glass is being recycled into new bottles and jars, according to Sustainability Victoria.

Doing your part: Why sorting matters

The crucial takeaway from this fantastic initiative is the importance of sorting glass containers properly at home.

Sustainability Victoria's A small act makes a big impact campaign aims to educate the public on how recycling can create unique products locally if it's sorted correctly.

They also provide helpful tips and information to make sure we're all doing our part to recycle efficiently.

Key Takeaways

• Victoria is paving the way for creating new products from recycled glass, such as jam jars, sauce bottles, and even tarmac for roads.
• Upgrades to Melbourne’s glass sorting facility and the new purple-lidded glass recycling stream encourage more glass recycling, reducing reliance on natural resources.
• The City of Yarra reported that 90 per cent of glass collected through their glass-only bin and drop-off service is being recycled into new bottles and jars.
• Sustainability Victoria’s A small act makes a big impact campaign provides tips and information to help residents recycle more and correctly, showcasing unique products made from locally recycled materials.

Members, if you’ve seen any of these products popping up in your local area, then let us know in the comments below.

Way to go!
Well done Victoria!
Lets hope this effort catches on and happens all over Australia and beyond.

 

[Catherines]

Yes, let’s hope other states follow instead of all recycling going into the one bin and then has to be separated at a waste facility. True, that provides work for people but a separate bin for glass would go straight to a glass recycling facility.

 

[Mina vriesekolk]

Yes recycling glass bottles should have been started ages ago , we are soooo behind in AU . A lot of European countries have big containers and they are underneath the soil , there is an opening on the top where you can dump your glass , you sort the bottles by their colour as there are about 3 big containers for clear , brown and green glass . They are the main colours. In Portugal ,if you don’t live in a big city , your rubbish will not be collected .there are many collection points where you can dump your rubbish , like skips. This all has been done for over 20 yrs.
Also they collect plastics, like cheese wrappers , toilet roll wrappers , plastic freezer bags , etc , you just hang it in a tree in your front yard , on the gate , postbox and it will be collected on allocated collection days

 

[Tipsy]

Not too long ago, your used jam jars and sauce bottles may have been destined for the rubbish tip.

But thanks to some out-of-the-box thinking in the great state of Victoria, there’s now a new lease on life for used glass as more and more of it is being recycled to create new, everyday products.

From jars and bottles to roads

Victorians go through a massive 280,000 tonnes of glass per year, but many are not aware that these materials can be recycled and utilised in extraordinary ways.

The great news is that thanks to upgrades to local glass recycling facilities, more and more Victorians will soon be able to see their used glass containers recreated into everyday products.

View attachment 21344

Glass can be recycled an infinite number of times. Credit: Alexander Grey/Pexels

Not limited to peanut butter jars or pretty champagne flutes, though, recycled glass actually goes a step further: it can be used in civil and road construction!

Due to glass's fantastic ability to retain its quality and be recycled infinitely, it's proving to be an incredible resource for sustainable development.

In Victoria, tarmac surfaces are now incorporating recycled glass particles as an alternative to sand. Small pieces of glass that can’t be remade into jars and bottles are used as good substitutes for essential materials in buildings.

So, yes, you might be driving on your old wine or sauce bottles – a feat that helps reduce the demand for sand mining and boosts sustainability in construction.

Going the distance with sustainability in Victoria

View attachment 21345

Glass boosts sustainability practices in the construction industry. Credit: Polina Tankilevitch/Pexels

With the rollout of the state-wide glass recycling stream expected to be complete by 2030, it's clear that Victorians are taking a stand for sustainability.

The upgrades to Melbourne's glass sorting facility mean that even more glass from local households will be recycled in the state itself.

It also wasn’t too long ago when the new purple-lidded recycling bins – designated for glass – were introduced in Victoria.

The new colour-coded lids were designed to motivate families to step up their recycling game, reducing the need for glass products to be made from precious natural resources.

Some Victorian councils rolled out these bins last year, and it is expected that the rest of the state will have them by 2024.

You can read more details in this article.

Not only does this increase the percentage of recycled glass used in creating new products (from 30 per cent to a whopping 70 per cent), but it also helps in recycling non-glass materials more effectively.

By separating broken glass from other materials, the glass-only stream ensures that useful items, like newspapers and shampoo bottles, are not damaged, making them more suitable for recycling.

In the City of Yarra, which introduced a glass-only bin and drop-off service in 2020, a whopping 90 per cent of collected glass is being recycled into new bottles and jars, according to Sustainability Victoria.

Doing your part: Why sorting matters

The crucial takeaway from this fantastic initiative is the importance of sorting glass containers properly at home.

Sustainability Victoria's A small act makes a big impact campaign aims to educate the public on how recycling can create unique products locally if it's sorted correctly.

They also provide helpful tips and information to make sure we're all doing our part to recycle efficiently.

Key Takeaways

• Victoria is paving the way for creating new products from recycled glass, such as jam jars, sauce bottles, and even tarmac for roads.
• Upgrades to Melbourne’s glass sorting facility and the new purple-lidded glass recycling stream encourage more glass recycling, reducing reliance on natural resources.
• The City of Yarra reported that 90 per cent of glass collected through their glass-only bin and drop-off service is being recycled into new bottles and jars.
• Sustainability Victoria’s A small act makes a big impact campaign provides tips and information to help residents recycle more and correctly, showcasing unique products made from locally recycled materials.

Members, if you’ve seen any of these products popping up in your local area, then let us know in the comments below.

I wish they would start this up here in QLD