Why should you keep glass separate for recycling?
Our glass recycling service is very suitable for hospitality businesses like bars, clubs, restaurants and hotels. These businesses produce substantial volumes of used glass packaging, mostly empty bottles and jars. It would be a shame to mix this high-quality material with other recyclables as it will result in extensive sorting and loss of quality.
It is a legal requirement to ensure that glass is not mixed with other rubbish. Find out more about how to recycle glass correctly.
It is best for the environment as well as your wallet to keep glass separate for recycling. Our glass collection service can be tailored so keeping glass separate won’t take up extra space. Glass collections are more cost-effective than getting rid of it as mixed recycling or general waste. Collection prices start from as little as £1.
WHAT GLASS ITEMS CAN BE RECYCLED?
- Glass bottles of any colour, e.g. soft drinks, wine, beer, spirits
- Glass jars, e.g. sauces, condiments, jam, baby food
- Glass non-food bottles, e.g. perfume, aftershave, face creams
BENEFITS OF USING OUR GLASS RECYCLING SERVICES
- We can supply all equipment so sharp materials such as glass don’t get in the way of the day to day running of your business.
- We are flexible. We can help you to tailor glass recycling services that suit your business requirements.
- Our collection vehicles are low emission or fully electric.
- We dispose of your waste locally - approximately 8km from Westminster.
- We are based in Westminster and don’t travel long distances to collect your glass recycling, minimising vehicle movement.
- Cost-effective: we beat any quotes from others. You also do not pay VAT which improves your cashflow.
- We are reliable. Our collection crews have a 24/7 presence in Westminster. We are never far away from your business to help you.
- It is more cost effective to have glass collected separately rather than as mixed recycling or general waste
Get started with glass recycling collections
Step 1
Get started with bins
We strongly recommend using one of our glass recycling bins. They are by far the best and safest way to have your glass collected. Our bins come in big and small sizes depending on how much you produce.
Step 2
Sort your waste into the right bin
Not everything can or should be recycled. Putting the wrong materials into your glass recycling can cause entire truckloads to be rejected. The most common contaminants found in glass recycling loads are black bags, drinking glasses, crockery, food waste, food-soiled packaging, sanitary waste (e.g. paper towels, napkins) and wine coolers. This waste is best collected through our general waste collections instead.
Step 3
We collect your glass recycling
Using a glass recycling container (or bin) will offer you the superior way to keep your glass segregated ahead of collection. Using bins will offer a safe, easy to handle and hygienic solution for glass recycling. And they are by far the preferred way of collecting any rubbish or recycling. Bins come in small and large sizes depending on what space is available to store them off-street. Whatever your requirements, we can tailor a solution to suit you with our large range of bins.
Step 4
Your glass recycling is sent for processing
The segregated glass waste that we collect is sent to URM Group (United Resource Management) – Tilbury. At the URM facility, the glass is washed using high-end equipment to remove any stains or degrees of contaminating material. This glass can then be recycled in their reprocessing facilities.
URM is the UK’s largest purchaser and recycler of waste glass. Founded over 90 years ago, they are committed to providing practical solutions for today’s and tomorrow’s recycling challenges.
At the URM facility, the glass is processed using high-end equipment to remove any residues and contaminating material such as labels, tops, caps, metals, plastics and other impurities. It is also colour sorted and graded. This glass can then be recycled by glass packaging manufacturers with much of it using low carbon environmentally friendly transport by train from Tilbury.
The energy saved from recycling one bottle will power a 100 watt light bulb for almost an hour or a computer for 20 minutes.
OUR RESOURCES
Learn more about glass recycling in Westminster
1
Glass recycling poster
Help your staff put their waste and recycling in the right bins by using posters.
Download now
2
Sharp item guide
Sharp items such as syringes, knives, blades but also broken glass and crockery should never be disposed of in rubbish bags since when placed on the street they can endanger the public and, most importantly, staff handling rubbish and recycling. This guide will show you how to dispose of sharp items in the correct way.
Download now
3
The ultimate guide to real recycling for businesses in Westminster
Discover how your business can improve how it recycles and manages its waste and become more environmentally sustainable with our recycling guide for Westminster businesses.
The guide includes:
- How to reduce, reuse, recycle and recover waste
- Getting started with recycling
- Choosing Westminster City Council as your commercial waste collector
- Disposing of waste during events
- Recycling special materials
- Creating and implementing a waste management plan
- Segregating waste and tackling contamination
- Further support for your business
WHERE WE WORK
Areas of operation
Whilst we only offer our services to businesses in Westminster, we can help you to find the best possible waste and recycling services if you have sites outside of Westminster are not in the area. For example, This means that if you are a chain with multiple locations in London or across the country, we can still help you.