Used glass: where to go when it gets colourful?

From empty champagne or wine bottles to empty jars of red cabbage, a lot of used glass traditionally accumulates during the Christmas period and after New Year's Eve parties. In order for this glass packaging to be recycled, it must be disposed of in glass containers - sorted into white, brown and green glass. But what to do with glass of other colours? According to a recent survey, only just under a quarter of consumers in Germany are aware of this. „Waste separation works“, an initiative of the dual systems in Germany, explains how the disposal of used glass works and why sorting by colour is essential.

Empty glass packaging belongs in the glass containers - unless a deposit is charged on it. This includes, for example, champagne, wine or juice bottles, bottles for vinegar, oil, ketchup or sauces as well as jars of red cabbage, gherkins or jam. This also applies to cosmetic and pharmaceutical glass packaging, such as perfume bottles or empty bottles for cough drops.

It is important to note that the used glass must be sorted by colour and thrown into the respective containers for green, brown or white glass. The Prosecco bottle is blue? Unusually coloured glass, such as blue or red bottles, should be placed in the containers for green glass, because, as a mixed colour, it tolerates most impurities in subsequent recycling. Lids do not need to be unscrewed as they can be separated in the glass sorting systems.