How Do I Dispose of Flat Glass?

While glass bottles and jars are all recyclable, flat household glass cannot be recycled at the curb. Flat glass is actually treated with chemicals and has a different melting point than glass containers (Earth911). This type of glass, including mirrors, window glass, dinnerware, drinkware and ceramics, must be thrown in the regular garbage.

You may want to consider duct taping or wrapping the glass prior to pickup to prevent it from breaking. You should duct tape the front and back of the mirror; the more surface you cover, the better. If you don’t want to use a lot of tape, you can place a large X on both sides. For items larger than 4ft by 4ft, please contact our office so that we can let the driver know about glass in the load, as it can pose a safety risk.

Handling broken glass is a bit of a different story. Make sure it isn’t loose in the can and doesn’t pose a safety threat to sanitation workers. Please be sure to place any broken glass in a thick garbage bag.  When handling broken glass, wear gloves and thick-soled shoes to protect yourself. You’ll also want to keep kids and pets away from the area until you’ve finished.

If you have other bulky household items you’re unsure of how to dispose of, check out the Hard to Handle section on our website for more information.