Keeping your home and environment clean is not always easy, especially with hard-to-recycle items like Glass. Throwing them out may be tempting, but it is dangerous to you and other people in the environment.
While you can dispose of Glass with your regular trash, the process of disposing of it is not the same. You should ensure safety precautions to protect you, your children, and other people around you from the harm that comes with improper disposal of Glass, especially when it breaks.
This post will explain how you can safely dispose of Glass – broken or not.
How to Dispose of Whole Glass
Sometimes, it is necessary to dispose of a mirror, window glass, tabletop glass, and other large pieces of Glass, but it may be challenging to find out how. Therefore, we will discuss what you can do with the whole glasses you no longer need before discussing how to dispose of broken glasses.
Let’s get started!
Reuse
Unlike plastic, glass containers are long-lasting, durable, corrosion-resistant, and perfect for reuse. Apart from reusing Glass being an easy way to dispose of it, it will reduce how much waste you contribute to landfills. You may wonder how you can reuse Glass in your home. Keep calm as you are about to find out.
You can reuse almost every kind of Glass – from glass bottles and containers to large pieces of Glass-like windows and glass tabletops.
Glass bottles and packaging containers are certified by the FDA to “be generally considered safe” since they have a low rate of chemical reactions. Therefore they are safe for reuse as storage, vase, planter, drinking Glass, spray bottles, liquid soap dispensers, bird feeders, upcycled lamps, artwork etc.
Large pieces of Glass are also reusable for several DIY projects, and I will mention some of them below:
Build Greenhouses
The glass greenhouse is one of the most popular styles of greenhouses, and building one is a safe way to dispose of your old Glass.
With some creativity, you can build beautiful houseplants or start a small vegetable garden. Large pieces from broken glasses are also helpful for this purpose.
Use As Chalkboard
Chalkboards are helpful at home and in offices; interestingly, you can repurpose your old Glass into one rather than purchasing new ones. All you need to do is to tape off the edges and spray with chalkboard paint.
You can use the chalkboards in the kitchen to write menus, recipes, shopping lists, or to-do lists. You may also put it in the living room as chalk art or to write poems.
Use As Room Dividers
One way to effectively reuse large pieces of Glass is to make them into space or room dividers. It will help you maximize space, create room for intimacy, ensure privacy, hide unsightly household items, and liven up lonely corners. It is safer and more fitting for offices and professional environments.
Use For Smaller Windows
You can also repurpose large pieces of Glass to make smaller windows. The Glass should be larger than the window you plan to make; this way, you can carefully cut the piece of Glass into desired sizes using recommended tools. You can reuse large pieces of broken glasses for this purpose, too; however, it requires some professionalism.
Tile A Wall
You can decorate plain walls and make them beautiful with glass tiles made from scrap glass. Cut the piece of Glass into equal or random sizes as you desire before filling the space on the wall with each of them. Tiling a wall with Glass is creative and artistic, but anybody can do it with a good guide.
Do not use glass tiles for floors and countertops; it is best practice to use them on interior walls. Use it on the exterior only if the temperature does not fall beyond freezing.
Make A Stacked Tree
Another way to reuse Glass is to make a stacked tree with small glass pieces. Cut the large piece of Glass into squares of gradual sizes. Use bigger Glass squares for the bottom of the stacked tree and smaller sizes to build it to the top. Making a stacked tree from Glass is a DIY project that is fun and resource-saving.
There are several other ways to reuse Glass. You can make scrap bowls and plates, cabinet doors, etc.
Sell It
Reusing Glass helps you create artistic household items, but not everyone has the luxury of time it requires. However, you can hire professionals to do the job for you or sell the glasses and make some bucks off them.
Many auctioneers can help you sell old glasses that meet up to their standards, or they can help you quote the price it is worth after examining them. You can also take to trusted auction houses, galleries, or dealers close to you.
Donate
Donating a whole glass to a friend or relative is a beneficial way to dispose of it because you will be getting rid of the Glass, keeping it out of landfills, and helping someone else.
Glass pieces you can give out include mirrors, window panes, tabletops, etc. You may also donate glasses to charitable organizations.
Put Them Online
You can put your old glasses online for free donation if they are still intact and you do not need them. There are several online platforms where you can post your stained glasses for others who may need them.
Recycle
One of the best ways to dispose of waste at home is to choose to recycle. It will save manufacturing companies some energy and the cost of getting new raw materials. Glass is easy to recycle and usually retains its original quality and property when recycled.
You can contact your local council to get recycling bins for home recycling collections, and the government agencies will pick up your Glass for recycling. You can also contact recycling companies in your area or search for the closest one online.
Please note that not all glasses are recyclable. Some of the glasses you can recycle include bottles, food jars, and non-food bottles. Glasses that are not recyclable include light bulbs, drinking glasses, mirrors, vases, window glasses, Pyrex, etc.
Dispose of Glass with Waste Management Companies
A better way to dispose of unrecyclable glasses and other hazardous waste is to contact waste management companies.
Many waste management companies will help you dispose of your whole or broken glasses, and as professionals, they will take them through the proper disposal process, and you will be free from the stress or thought of how and where to put them.
Disposing whole pieces of Glass with waste management agencies is not the same as thrashing other household waste. It would be best if you took the following precautions to have safe disposal:
- Contact the company via phone or mail to confirm the weight and dimension restrictions for disposing of Glass.
- You may also visit their website to get more information about their process of glass disposal. Some companies take whole glass pieces, while others need you to break them into small pieces.
- Cover the glass surface with tape. If it is not too big, you can dispose of it whole.
- Tape the front and the back and ensure it is well-sealed.
- Wrap the Glass with cardboard, a disposable piece of cloth, or bubble wrap.
- Label the exterior of the wrap with an inscription that discloses its content to anyone who handles it. For example, write “GLASS FOR DISPOSAL.”
- Place it carefully beside your regular trash bin where the waste management companies can pick it up.
If the dimension of your piece of Glass is more than what is acceptable by a waste management company, you can break it into smaller and easily disposable pieces. You will learn how to do this in the next section.
Also see: How to dispose of sharp containers
How To Dispose Of Broken Glass
Disposing of broken glasses requires more caution than disposing of a whole piece. You do not want to injure yourself with its tiny shards, hence the need to be more careful.
You can also break too large pieces of Glass into smaller pieces and dispose of the broken pieces with the following tips:
- Cover the piece of Glass with a blanket or multiple towels before breaking it to make cleaning easier afterward.
- Place the wrapped Glass on the floor.
- Wear puncture-proof gloves, shoes with thick soles, and eye protection.
- Break the Glass with a sledgehammer.
- Put large pieces in a trash bag.
- Collect smaller pieces with a shop vacuum. You can also use cardboards as an alternative.
- Place the trash bag with the broken pieces in a box.
- Seal the box on the seams with packing tape.
- Label the box to alert others of its contents.
- Place the box in your regular trash bin for pickup.
- Pick remainder shards with halved potato, duck tape, a piece of bread, or an old piece of mattress you want to dispose.
- Wipe the floor surface clean with a damp paper towel.
What not to Do When Disposing Of Glass
Avoid the following practices while disposing of Glass.
- Please do not wrap the Glass with newspaper while disposing of it
- Do not touch an area with broken glasses without a puncture-proof glove.
- Avoid throwing glass pieces directly in the trash bin.
- Avoid dealing with broken glasses without safety wear.
- Avoid throwing Glass in the environment or landfills.
Conclusion
Improper disposal of Glass can put your safety at risk. Therefore, you should follow the tips in this post to safely dispose of Glass. Reusing whole pieces of Glass remains the best way to dispose of them, while recycling is the second-best option for recyclable glasses.
