Virginia county expands glass recycling program

Loudoun County, Virginia, has expanded its glass recycling program to include a new location in Ashburn, Virginia. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held today to open the site.

“I am pleased to see Loudoun County’s glass recycling program expand,” says Phyllis J. Randall, Loudoun County Board of Supervisors chair. “Having these purple bins located throughout the county enables us to separate glass from other recyclable materials and lessens the amount of glass that is disposed of as waste. Increasing opportunities to recycle glass also helps Loudoun County meet our environmental goals.”

Additional county-operated sites where glass bottles and jar are collected separately include the Arcola Recycling Center, Arcola; Central Western Loudoun Recycling Center, Hamilton; Landfill Recycling Center, Leesburg; Mickie Gordon Park Recycling Center, Middleburg; Philomont Recycling Center, Philomont; and Sterling Park Recycling Center, Sterling.

“This new center provides a more convenient way for people in the Broad Run and Ashburn area to recycle glass now that they won’t have to drive to sites located farther away,” says Sylvia Glass, Board Run district supervisor. “I am hopeful it will also encourage more people in the community to recycle their glass bottles and jars.”

Loudoun County’s glass recycling program covers emptied and rinsed glass bottles and jars placed in purple bins with a “Glass Recycling” label. The program does not accept lids, caps or corks, and glass must be placed in collection bins without a bag.

According to the county, the glass recycling program is designed to increase recycling opportunities for glass and decrease the amount of glass disposed of as waste. The commingling of glass with other recyclable materials at the point of collection requires additional processing that is not currently available at local facilities and results in disposal of the glass or otherwise limits the extent to which the glass can be recycled. 

The glass bottles and jars collected through the program are sent to other facilities to be recycled into new glass products.

At the direction of the Board of Supervisors, the Department of General Services continues to explore the feasibility of expanding the program to include more glass-only recycling sites throughout the county.