1.Pre processing steps before recycling
Thoroughly clean and classify
After use, thoroughly clean the residues in the bottle (such as lotion and essence) to avoid polluting the recovery process.
Classified by material: Separate glass bottles from other materials such as plastic pump heads and metal springs. For example, the pump head needs to be disassembled into plastic parts and metal springs for separate recycling.
Classified by color: Transparent, amber, and green glass need to be processed separately to improve the purity of the recycled material.
Remove labels and adhesive stains
Wipe the residual adhesive stains on the label with vegetable oil or alcohol to ensure that there are no impurities on the glass surface.
Some brands use water-soluble adhesive labels to simplify the cleaning process.
2.The Four Major Ways of Recycling and Reuse
Prototype reuse (closed-loop recycling)
Brand Recycling Program: Brands such as L’Occitane and Innisfree recycle empty bottles through their stores, offering point rewards or discounts to encourage consumer participation.
Refilling system: Some brands have introduced reusable glass bottle designs (such as The Body Shop’s aluminum bottle refilling) to reduce the demand for new bottle production.
Recycling (raw material regeneration)
Breaking and melting waste glass bottles into new ones can save 38% of energy and reduce 50% of air pollution.
Technical example: Samsung Glass adopts oxy fuel combustion technology to reduce energy consumption and uses broken glass as recycled raw material.
Transformation and Utilization (Creative Regeneration)
Home and Decoration: Transform into vases, aromatherapy bottles, pen holders, or lighting fixtures to give old bottles new functions.
Industrial use: Broken glass is used for building materials (such as glass bricks) or road paving materials to achieve resource recycling.
Raw material reuse (cross industry application)
Glass that cannot be directly reused can be processed into glass fiber, insulation materials, etc., expanding its application scenarios.
3.Policies and corporate measures to improve recycling rates
Government policy support
Deposit recycling system: For example, France plans to implement a glass container deposit system by 2025, forcing businesses to recycle old bottles and setting up special funds to support research and development.
Environmental certification incentives: Enterprises that comply with EU packaging directives (such as 94/62/EC) or ISO 14001 standards can receive policy incentives.
enterprise technological innovation
Lightweight design: Reduce the amount of glass used (such as thin-walled bottles) to lower transportation and recycling costs.
Environmentally friendly material formula: Use high-strength glass containing waste glass (such as adding 20-30% crushed glass and cesium sulfate to enhance impact resistance), balancing performance and sustainability.
Industrial chain cooperation
Glass manufacturers (such as Samsung Glass) collaborate with cosmetics brands to establish a recycling network and optimize reverse logistics efficiency.
Develop a digital tracking system to monitor the flow and reuse rate of recycled bottles.
4.Consumer Education and Participation
Promote environmental awareness
Promote the environmental benefits of glass bottle recycling through social media
Provide DIY tutorials to encourage consumers to creatively transform empty bottles and enhance their sense of participation.
Convenient recycling channels
Community sets up “green in the district” recycling points (such as the glass bottle recycling station in Hong Kong).
The e-commerce platform has launched the “Empty Bottle Swap” activity, which combines online order delivery to recycle packaging.
