ABSTRACT
Glass accounted for about 6.7 percent of municipal solid waste in the United States in 1990, with 90 percent from bottles and jars. Recycled glass used as a raw material in glass production is known as cullet. The use of a certain amount of cullet is essential in a glassmaking operation. The position of glass companies regarding the use of post-consumer cullet has changed over the past several years. In the mid-1970s there was considerable reluctance to use this material because of concerns about the effects of contaminants. Closures are a significant source of contaminants in glass packaging recycling. The primary use for color-sorted glass is in the production of new containers. Other uses can be considered secondary recycling. The glass packaging industry needs to exert more effort in promoting glass recycling cling operations, to increase the amount of postconsumer cullet which does become available.
