Glass makes up about a quarter of all recyclable materials that Greensboro residents put in their curbside recycle bins. But, once there, it's a hassle for companies to deal with.
Separating glass from the plastic and paper requires intensive labor. The extreme weight of glass also makes it costly to haul.
Waste Reduction Supervisor Tori Carle says, in short, it doesn't play well with others.
“Those paper, plastic and metal processors don't like getting glass because they really only want paper or plastic or metal,” says Carle. “And it also really degrades the equipment at the processing center, and it degrades our trucks as well.”
With handling costs soaring, and China halting virtually all recycled paper and plastic imports last year, Carle says huge supply and very little demand have led to tough choices.
Last month, the Greensboro City Council voted to take glass bottles and jars off the residential recycling program list entirely. As a cost saving measure, it will instead be disposed of in landfills. Carle says there are some benefits. Glass doesn't leach chemicals, its weight actually helps compact trash, and, eventually it turns into sand.
Residents who want to continue recycling glass will have options.
They can choose from four glass drop-off locations: Fire Station 19, the Kathleen Clay Edwards, and McGirt-Horton Libraries, and the Medford Service Center.