Re: [greenyes] The big picture on glass

[Sharon_Gates@no.address]

There is a piece of the "big picture" that nobody has mentioned in this 
recent discussion of glass:  energy costs/savings.  While I don't have 
percentages handy of the energy used to produce virgin glass vs recycled 
glass, it is my understanding that the difference is substantial.  The 
issue is not "to recycle glass, or not to recycle glass."  The issue is 
how to recycle glass in such a way that it doesn't contaminate other 
materials in the recycling stream.  I have heard of places that have 
single-stream-except-glass collection and have drop-off locations for 
glass.  This sounds difficult, but possibly worth the effort.  Does anyone 
have experience with keeping glass out of their otherwise-mixed 
collection, but still including glass in their program?

Sharon Gates
Recycling Specialist
City of Long Beach, California
562/570-4694