Australia's Science Forum

Can someone please clear this up for me. We have just received new recycling bins here and somewhere I have read (or heard) that there is a problem recycling lab glassware. Is this the case or is it just some glassware, pyrex maybe?? - I don't want to empty our broken glassware buckets into the wrong bin nor do I want to wade through the buckets myself sorting out the glass!!! Thanks for your input.

I am under the impression that any of the glassware that can be used with heat, which is just about all of it, was unable to be recycled as it is a dirrerent formulation to normal glass.

But I can't remember where I got the information.
Wendy

Yes pyrex (trade name) or borosilicate glass can't be recycled, which is most of our glass the few bits of soda glass aren't worth seperating, but if you must, things like measuring cyls are soda glass

Hi Robyn,

Your quite correct, you cannot recycle pyrex glass (and some other types of glass). The only glass that they will recyle is soda glass which is used generally for glass in a domestic siituation, unfortunately in labs its difficult to tell which is which (especially if in a hurry). The only option is to throw out any broken glass.

The reason is if when recycling glass and they put in something which is a different type of glass, they have to throw out the whole batch of glass they are recycling.

Cheers
Ross

Thanks for your replies. It will give me a bit of clout with those who have made comments on me not recycling the glass we use in the labs!