You have reached the Home page document Direct access to the contents Direct access to the beginning of the page Direct access to the navigation menu Direct access to the accessibility page and hot keys Direct access to the search engine Direct access to the web map
Generalitat de Catalunya  
 Web of the Agència de Residus de Catalunya
text size
castellano | català contact | sitemap | accessibility
 advanced
Opcions principals
   
Has seguit la següent ruta   Start   Municipal waste   Selective waste collection   Glass
 Glass recycling  
Glass recycling

Recycling glass enables us to reduce the amount of waste destined for final treatment, while also saving both raw materials and energy when compared with the production of glass from its original raw materials.

The recovery of glass began in Catalonia in February 1982, in the city of Barcelona.

Currently, most of the glass from selective waste collection is recycled to produce glass containers. A small part is used in the manufacture of other products, mostly for construction. More or less quantity or quality of recycled glass is used according to the characteristics required for the final glass product.
Advantages of glass recycling
  Animated diagram
The glass recycling process
  Animated diagram

Glass recycling begins with the process of cleaning and separation of undesirable materials (lids, metallic elements, adhesives…). The glass is then crushed, reducing it to a suitable aggregate size, to produce cullet, which serves as a raw material for the manufacturing of new glass containers.

The cullet is transported to glass container factories where a high-temperature fusion process is carried out until a homogenous liquid is obtained. Once this liquid has been thermally conditioned, the glass is shaped into containers using moulds and automatic electric cutters.
Date of publication: 18/11/03 Update: 24/01/08
  back    top
legal disclaimer about the web mail
© 1997-2008 Agència de Residus de Catalunya