How do I dispose of glass?
Find out how to properly dispose of glass items (and why) by hovering over the images below.
Glass Bottles
Recycling
Must be clean & dry. You can keep the caps on unless you are recycling these bottles at a buy back center.
Glass Jars
Recycling
Must be clean & dry. You can keep the caps on unless you are recycling these bottles at a buy back center.
Drinking Glasses
Trash
Drinking glasses are “tempered”, meaning they have been chemically treated. These chemicals prevent the glass from being recycled, so they must be placed in the trash.
Art Glass
Trash
The colors in artistic glass and sculptures is derived from metals. The metal and glass are nearly impossible to separate, rendering these items as trash.
Window Glass & Other Tempered Glass
Trash
Tempered glass has been chemically treated. These chemicals prevent the glass from being recycled, so it must be placed in the trash. Examples of tempered glass include windows, drinking glasses, and art glass.
Incandescent Light Bulbs
Trash
Incandescent light bulbs contain wire filmanets that heat up and emit a glow. They do not contain hazardous materials, so you can place them in the trash.
LED Light Bulbs
Trash
While LEDs do contain some heavy metals, like lead and copper, they are not currently classified as hazardous waste in California. You can either place them in the trash, or drop them off at UCSB’s Hazardous Waste Center.
Fluorescent Light Bulbs/Tubes
Electronic Waste
Fluorescent light bulbs/tubes contain small amounts of mercury, so they can NOT be placed in your trash. Drop them off at MarBorg’s Downtown or Goleta Recycling Centers, County Transfer Station, or UCSB’s Hazardous Waste Center.