Glass Recycling in Ontario
A Practical Guide
Glass Recycling in Ontario
A Practical Guide
Why Recycle Glass?
How Glass is Collected in Ontario
1. Collection Methods
Blue Box Program
Ontario's curbside recycling system accepts glass bottles and jars. Residents are encouraged to place clean, empty glass containers into their blue bins.
Deposit Return Program
The Ontario Deposit Return Program (ODRP) allows consumers to return alcoholic beverage containers for a refund. Managed by The Beer Store, this program boasts high return rates, with refillable beer bottles achieving a 98% return rate.
Drop-Off & Commercial Recycling
Glass is also collected at municipal drop-off sites and through commercial programs (e.g. bars and restaurants). Some cities have separate bins for glass to help improve sorting and quality.
Collected glass is transported to processing facilities where it is cleaned, sorted by color, and crushed into cullet.