Shards of sustainability: Unseen journey of glass recycling in India

Glass recycling in India is a crucial but underdeveloped sector, especially when compared to materials like plastic and paper. Glass, however, is one of the most sustainable materials since it can be recycled endlessly without losing quality.

This makes it an important part of the recycling ecosystem, as it helps conserve raw materials like sand, soda ash, and limestone, while also reducing energy consumption.

Unfortunately, despite these advantages, the recycling rate of glass in India remains relatively low and there are several reasons for this.

Once collected, these glass items are sorted by colour, as different types of glass are often recycled separately to maintain the integrity of the material.

After sorting, the glass is thoroughly cleaned to remove any labels, adhesives, or other contaminants, as these can affect the quality of the final recycled product.

The cleaned glass is then crushed into small pieces, called cullet, which are used as raw material in the production of new glass products. The cullet is melted down and mixed with other raw materials like sand, soda ash, and limestone, and from this mixture, new glass items are molded or blown into bottles, jars or other containers.

With the country facing increasing levels of waste generation, effective recycling can significantly lessen the burden on landfills and reduce the environmental damage caused by improper disposal of materials.

However, glass recycling in India faces a number of challenges.

One of the primary obstacles is a lack of awareness among the general public about the importance of recycling glass and the proper methods of disposal. Many people continue to dispose of glass bottles and jars with mixed waste, which makes it difficult to separate and recycle the material efficiently. Another issue is the limited infrastructure for glass collection and processing, especially in rural areas.

While larger urban centres have some recycling facilities, smaller towns and villages often lack the necessary resources to manage waste effectively.

Additionally, the logistics of transporting glass waste to recycling centers can be costly and challenging, particularly in regions where there is no formal recycling infrastructure.