Can you recycle glass?

♻️ RecycleFood & drink glass, yes (blue cart) — not window glass, Pyrex, or ceramics.

Glass food and drink containers — jars and bottles — go in the blue recycling cart, empty and rinsed with the lids off. But not all glass is the same: window glass, mirrors, Pyrex, drinking glasses, and ceramics are made differently and are not recyclable in the container stream.

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Recyclable (blue cart)

Clear, green, and amber jars and bottles that held food or drink — pasta-sauce jars, soda and beer bottles, wine bottles, jam jars. Rinse them and take the lids off (metal lids can go in the recycling too).

Not container glass

Window and mirror glass, Pyrex and other heat-treated glass, drinking glasses, ceramic mugs and dishware, and light bulbs melt at different temperatures and contaminate the batch. Drinking glasses, Pyrex, and ceramics go in the trash (wrap broken pieces); windows and mirrors may need bulky-item or C&D disposal.

Large amounts

For a lot of bottles, many recycling centers pay California Redemption Value (CRV) on eligible beverage containers — search 'glass recycling near me' or 'CRV buyback center.'

Glass — quick FAQ

How do you get rid of large amounts of glass?
Put rinsed jars and bottles in the blue cart, or take a load of CRV bottles to a buyback/recycling center. Wrap any broken glass so it doesn't injure workers.
What is the best way to dispose of glass?
Recyclable food and drink glass goes in the blue cart, empty and rinsed. Non-container glass (windows, Pyrex, ceramics) is trash — wrap broken pieces before tossing.
What are two types of glass that cannot be recycled?
Window/mirror glass and heat-treated glass like Pyrex — plus drinking glasses and ceramics — can't go in the container-glass recycling stream.
Do I have to remove lids from glass jars?
Take lids off so the jar can be sorted; metal lids can go loose in the recycling, and a quick rinse helps.

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