Why did western Washington suddenly stop recycling glass last year? There are three main reasons.

Glass is not a money maker: Jefferson County’s recycling, including glass, is handled by Skookum Enterprises, which searches out markets for our materials. Glass has been going to Strategic Materials in Seattle where it is crushed and sent to Ardagh to be melted into glass bottles. Ardagh has been losing money and recently closed three other glass plants around the U.S. It is difficult to make money off glass when you are competing for its raw material — sand.

There has also been a drop in sales. Younger adults aren’t drinking as much beer and wine as their Baby Boomer counterparts so the need for these bottles is dropping. Beer and wine bottles are the main type of glass container made by Ardagh in Seattle.

International market issues play an important role. Last year, Chile, Mexico, and China dumped thousands of tons of low-cost glass on the market. Ardagh appealed to the International Trade Commission, but their complaint was denied. This prompted the closure of the Ardagh plant in Seattle eliminating 247 jobs and effectively removing any glass recycling opportunities for most of Washington.

The bad news

A consortium of counties is meeting quarterly to see about options, but so far, nothing has materialized. The City of Sequim has had a long-standing relationship with Concrete Recyclers in Tumwater, but they are at capacity. (Do not take your glass to Sequim.) Thurston County quickly contacted Glass to Glass in Portland, who handles all the glass from Oregon’s successful bottle bill. They are now at capacity, leaving the rest of us high and dry. If the Portland market opens up, it would add another $6 to the tipping fee to cover the transportation costs.   

The good news

A state-wide bottle bill would solve this problem for the foreseeable future. We are the only state on the west coast without one, including British Columbia. In Oregon, their 10¢ deposit on beverage containers insures that 90% of their containers are returned. The 10% of uncollected funds runs the program. This also provides a steady stream of low-cost, clean glass so a company can afford to recycle all kinds of other containers like jam jars, etc. It’s a win-win-win.

Glass is non-toxic, inert, and contributes to only 2.4% of our county’s trash, so sending it to landfill for now won’t put pollutants in our environment. Glass can be recycled infinitely and does not add carcinogens or hormone disruptors to your body like plastic packaging, so it’s still a desired container for food and beverages. It’s also wonderfully reusable. Here are some suggestions:

• Use jam jars, etc. for drinking glasses

• Use glass containers for food and beverage storage instead of plastic. Remember to leave space in the top for expansion if you freeze the contents.

• Clear glass containers can be used for storage of spices, arts and crafts materials, hardware, sewing materials and more!

• Glass bottles can be used as vases

• Wide-mouth jars make great candle holders

• Organize office supplies: paper clips, pens, tacks, etc.

Local 20/20 has a page on local businesses that can take back or refill glass containers, or that carry bulk items often purchased in glass — L2020.org/glass.

Laura Tucker is a science educator and author of curriculum on understanding climate change. She is also a member of Local 20/20’s Climate and Beyond Waste groups.