More than 10,000 tonnes of glass bottles and jars – equivalent to 30 million jars and bottles – have been recycled since 1996 when Aberdeenshire Council was formed.
The bottles and jars are collected from the network of 140 public mini-recycling centres located throughout Aberdeenshire as well as from a number of licensed premises.
The glass that is collected is sent to the British Glass Recycling Company in Alloa where it is made back into bottles and jars.
The council said that while recycling 30 million bottles and jars “is an admirable feat, this only represents around 25% of the total amount of glass bottles and jars that are used in Aberdeenshire, the remainder are thrown out as rubbish and end up being sent to landfill sites.”
In a message to local people, a spokeswoman said: “Recycling glass bottles and jars is a great way to reduce waste and save raw materials, energy and money. Remember, we can all do our bit by recycling our glass bottles and jars: if every household in Aberdeenshire recycled just one extra bottle or jar per week the amount of glass recycled in Aberdeenshire would double!!”
The council is paid for the glass that is collected – it varies from between 10 to 29. per tonne depending on the colour of the glass and it also saves landfill tax of 11 a tonne.
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