Glass On The Side (GOTS) Update
You can now recycle glass bottles and jars separately at all staffed Waste and Recycling Centers. Put only glass bottles and jars in the specially labeled dumpsters (or carts at Bradshaw Quarry Road). Empty and rinsed please.
The County is doing this because of the savings and efficiency gains from separating glass bottles and jars. Orange County pays about $60 per ton processing fee at the Materials Recovery Facility in Raleigh where mixed recycling is sorted and sold. We receive $20 per ton for separated glass at a processor in Wilson NC that cleans and color separates glass, converting it into feedstock for new bottles, fiberglass insulation, sand blasting media and reflective paint beads, largely made here in North Carolina.
Alamance County has been a partner with Orange almost since the program’s beginning, hauling to Orange County over 65 tons out of the total shipped so far to the Wilson plant.
Recent Questions about GOTS
Q. Now that you have this drop-off program, can I still put glass bottles and jars in my curbside recycling cart?
A. Yes, you may still recycle glass in your cart and it will be processed at the Materials Recovery Facility. The yield from source-separating (i.e. GOTS dumpsters) is close to 100%, while the yield from single stream (curbside recycling) is about 60%, however Orange County recommends against special trips to the Waste and Recycling Centers just for depositing separated glass. If you’re headed to the sites or at least very nearby, then, by all means, bring us your bottles and jars.
Q. Will the County have a separate glass collection at curbside?
A. No, there will be separate glass collection at
only the Waste and Recycling Centers and eventually the unstaffed sites.
Q. What about the lids and caps on bottles and jars?
A. You may leave the lids or caps on.