Glass

You can put glass jars and bottles – also known as 'glass packaging' – in the glass container at the sorting station. Glass can be recycled an infinite number of times. The glass recycling plant can turn it into clear, green or brown glass again and again. Proper glass seperation reduces residual waste, which benefits you too. The less residual waste you have left, the fewer residual waste bags you need to buy. This page tells you how we collect glass and what items you can throw in the glass container.

Download the Milieu App

For:

  • your personal waste calendar with alarm function
  • your digital milieupas (waste disposal pass)
  • a map with all sorting stations in the area
  • information on the sorting stations and recycling centres in the region
  • a waste sorting guide showing where to dispose of each type of waste

Glass container

Throw glass into the glass container at the sorting station or recycling centre.

Separate containers

There are separate containers for clear glass and coloured glass. Be sure to throw your glass jars and bottles into the right container so that it is easier for us to recycle it. 

Charges

Take your glass waste to a sorting station or recycling centre, where you can dispose of it free of charge.

Complaint or report

If the glass container at the sorting station is full of if you have another question or comment, report it via the MijnGemeente app or contact us by calling 14 043.

  • Glass containers are meant for ‘glass packaging’. You can throw many items made of glass into the containers, but certain types of glass do not belong there, for example because they are heat resistant and will not melt property at the recycling plant. This includes drinking glasses and oven dishes. Lamps and mirrors also do not belong in the glass container.

    Below you can see what you may and may not put into the glass container (and where you can take the items otherwise).

    Glass container: yes please
    All glass packaging bearing the glass container logo
    Glass found in the kitchen, such as jars and bottles (apple sauce, spices, wine bottles, fruit juices, beer, etc.)
    Transparent glass jars and bottles found in the bathroom, e.g. cream jars, deodorant rollers, perfume bottles (including samples) and medicine bottles

     

    Glass container: no thanks
    Where to put it
    Drinking glasses and oven dishes Residual waste or thrift shop*
    Broken windows Recycling centre
    Glass in a frame (for example for a photograph) Recycling centre
    Light bulbs Recycling centre or shop where you purchased them
    Crystal Recycling centre or thrift shop*
    Opaque white glass Residual waste or recycling centre
    Energy-saving lamps, LED lamps and fluorescent tubes Recycling centre or shop where you purchased them
    Mirrors Recycling centre or thrift shop*
    Stone jugs and pitchers Recycling centre or thrift shop*
    Teacups and other porcelain tableware Recycling centre or thrift shop*
    Vases and flowerpots Recycling centre or thrift shop*

    * Items should only be taken to a thrift shop if they are clean, undamaged and intact.

    In the Milieu App you will find a practical, comprehensive waste separation guide. A yes/no list shows what to do with each type of waste.

  • Where to find glass containers

    You will find glass containers at the sorting stations.

  • Can I put glass that is residual waste straight into the residual waste bag?

    It is important to wrap up glass that belongs in the miscellaneous waste (such as drinking glasses, oven dishes and opaque white glass) before putting it in the bag so that our employees do not cut themselves on it. Make sure that the glass is well wrapped (e.g. in a newspaper) and that it does not stick out of the bag.

    What should I do with glass that does not fit through the glass container opening?

    Glass that does not fit through the glass container opening should be taken to the recycling centre. Do not leave it next to the glass container at the sorting station. Our employees cannot take it with them.

    Must I wash glass before putting it in the glass container?

    You do not have to wash glass before you put it in the glass container. You can leave a bit of food residue in jars and bottles. In fact, it is a waste of water and energy to rinse and clean glass jars and bottles. If there is a lot of food left in the jar, remove it with a bottle scraper, for example. You can also leave labels on glass jars and bottles.         

    Can I leave the lids on jars and bottles that I throw into the glass container?

    You can leave lids and stoppers on jars and bottles. The metal will be separated from the glass during recycling. Of course, you can also dispose of loose lids or stoppers made of metal or plastic separately in the PMD container.

    Doesn’t the clear and coloured glass eventually end up in the same place? If so, why do I have to separate them?

    It may look as if the two types of glass get mixed together but that is not the case. Our lorries have a dividing panel that keeps the clear glass separate from the coloured glass.