Glass Recycling Benefits Calculator
Find out how much glass is collected and recycled in an average residential program in a variety of collection and high-performing processing methods using this tool.
The Glass Recycling Coalition strives to provide the most accurate data available for our resources. Please contact us if you have suggestions, other data sources or modifications to this chart.
How much glass can be recovered & turned into recycled glass?
| COLLECTION SYSTEM | GLASS COLLECTED FROM 5,000 HH (TONS/YEAR) | % GLASS YIELD AT MRF | % CLEANUP (BENEFICIATION) YIELD | GLASS RECOVERY RATE (FURNACE-READY) | ACTUAL GLASS RECOVERED AFTER YIELD LOSS (TONS) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max. | Average* | Min. | Best Practice | Average Practice | Best Practice | Average Practice | Best Practice | Average Practice | Best Practice | Average Practice | |
| SINGLE STREAM CARTS - WEEKLY | 385 | 209 | 0 | 90% | 64% | 84% | 65% | 76% | 42% | 158 | 87 |
| SINGLE STREAM CARTS - BI-WEEKLY | 348 | 191 | 0 | 90% | 64% | 84% | 65% | 76% | 42% | 144 | 80 |
| SINGLE STREAM, GLASS SEPARATE - WEEKLY | 301 | 228 | 182 | 97% | 95% | 97% | 97% | 94% | 92% | 215 | 210 |
| DUAL STREAM BINS - WEEKLY | 284 | 149 | 80 | 92% | 74% | 95% | 90% | 87% | 67% | 130 | 99 |
| DROP-OFF | 182 | 104 | 78 | 97% | 95% | 97% | 97% | 94% | 92% | 98 | 96 |
What are the environmental & landfill savings for recycling glass?
| COLLECTION SYSTEM | CARBON EMISSIONS AVOIDED (MTCO2E) | ENERGY DEMAND AVOIDED (MILLION BTU) | AVG. LANDFILL TIPPING FEE ($49/TON) | NUMBER OF CARS REMOVED FROM ROAD PER YEAR | NUMBER OF HOUSES POWERED PER YEAR | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Practice | Average Practice | Best Practice | Average Practice | Best Practice | Average Practice | Best Practice | Average Practice | Best Practice | Average Practice | |
| SINGLE STREAM CARTS - WEEKLY | 44.2 | 24.3 | 379.2 | 208.7 | $7,742 | $4,260 | 9.4 | 5.2 | 10.3 | 5.7 |
| SINGLE STREAM CARTS - BI-WEEKLY | 40.4 | 22.2 | 346.6 | 190.7 | $7,075 | $3,893 | 8.6 | 4.7 | 9.4 | 5.2 |
| SINGLE STREAM, GLASS SEPARATE - WEEKLY | 60.1 | 58.8 | 514.9 | 504.2 | $10,512 | $10,295 | 12.8 | 12.5 | 14 | 13.7 |
| DUAL STREAM BINS - WEEKLY | 36.5 | 27.8 | 312.5 | 238.2 | $6,381 | $4,862 | 7.8 | 5.9 | 8.5 | 6.5 |
| DROP-OFF | 27.4 | 26.8 | 234.8 | 230.0 | $4,795 | $4,696 | 5.8 | 5.7 | 6.4 | 6.2 |
| *Average glass collected from 5,000 HH used for actual recovery rate, environmental and landfill savings calculations. | ||||||||||
Assumptions:
The purpose of the glass benefits reference sheet is to show municipal recycling coordinators potential environmental and economic benefits of recycling glass. The sheet estimates the benefits of 5,000 households (HH) recycling glass under different collection systems. Actual environmental and cost benefits will vary by community, based on factors such as the amount of glass collected, MRF equipment, and distance to secondary processors and end markets.
Notes and References:
Residential Glass Collected: Derived from The Recycling Partnership's State of Curbside Report (2016). The range in data represents the varying program performance factors: location, program design, rate and fee structure, local/regional/state requirements, demographics, and recycling outreach/education. The calculations assume glass makes up 20% of household recyclables by weight. Glass tonnage through drop-off program is an estimation. https://therecyclingpartnership.app.box.com/s/i0wvano7hi3dr3ivqxv689y4zzo583l2
Best Practices:
For more on best practices, visit the Best Practices page.
% Glass Yield at MRF:
Average of industry-reported data [Proprietary data shared from the following sources: 2 public integrated waste management firms, and 2 regional waste management firms that includes both members and non-members]
% of Clean up (Beneficiation):
Average of industry-reported values [Proprietary data shared through GRC processors and regional contacts]
Carbon Emissions Avoided and Energy Demand Avoided:
Carbon emissions and energy demand comparison between virgin and recycled glass is calculated based on EPA WARM Model. Differences in transportation emissions from varying collection methods were not considered in this model. Glass, Introduction to WARM and Glass, WARM Version 14 (February 2016), US Environmental Protection Agency, https://www3.epa.gov/warm/pdfs/Glass.pdf.
Landfill tipping fee:
Actual tipping fee is used rather than contract gate rates. Average US Landfill tipping fee, 'Landfill Waste Costs Continued to Rise in 2016', Waste Business Journal, http://nrra.net/sweep/cost-to-landfill-waste-continues-to-rise-through-2016/
Number of cars removed from the road annually:
An average passenger car drives 11,400 miles/year and emits 4.7 metric tons of CO2/year. Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Typical Passenger Vehicle, May 2014, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, US Environmental Protection Agency, https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-02/documents/420f14040a.pdf accessed on Jan 2017
The energy saved could power number of houses per year:
Number of houses that could be powered by saved energy from recycled glass is calculated based on U.S. Energy Information Administration average US residential utility customer’s energy consumption report. https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=97&t=3