At some point, it happens to the best of us. Whether it occurs by unintentionally breaking a window with a fly baseball or by simply dropping a jar on the ground, most people have broken glass at some point in their lives. And while, upon breaking glass, your first priority should be to get it cleaned up to avoid safety hazards related to the glass being stepped on, you may be wondering what you can do with the shards once you have swept them up. Of course, you are not going to want to simply throw them in your trash can, as this can present a safety hazard to your garbage man once he comes to take your trash away.
Instead of entirely disposing of the glass, why not consider recycling it? After all, there are many different options for recycling broken glass, whether you just want to get rid of it or even turn it into a work of art.
Use a Recycling Service
If you are simply looking to get rid of the broken glass, then the first thing to do is to contact your local recycling service to find out if they will accept it. Some will not as a result of it being viewed as a safety hazard. However, more recycling services these days will allow it, so long as it is properly contained. Usually, this means donning a pair of gloves and placing the glass shards into a box or plastic container. From there, you should clearly label the container so that it is known that it contains broken glass. From there, your local recycling service should accept it if you bring it in.
Create a Piece of Art
Another possibility to consider in recycling broken glass is let your creative and artistic side come through by making something out of it. You would be surprised at what a beautiful mosaic piece you can produce using just broken glass and some glue. Before doing this, however, you should obtain a rock tumbler to smooth out the edges of the shards. This will prevent you from cutting yourself while creating the work of art, and also give your finished product a nicer look. Once the pieces are smoothed out, you can use hot glue to adhere them to a canvas, vases, lamps, and just about anything else you can imagine in your home to create a decorative work of art. You could even consider making jewelry pieces out of the broken glass once it is smoothed out.
Overall, dealing with broken glass can be a pain, but it is important to take advantage of all of the possibilities that come along with a broken vase or shattered window. Whether you wish to create an art project out of it or simply take it in to your local recycling center, anything is better than simply throwing the glass away.
Citations:
- Photo by orphanjones
Peter Wendt is a writer from Austin, Texas. He is an avid proponent of recycling, and hates to see anything go to waste. If you have a window broken, whether in your home or car, he advises recycling the glass and consulting this glass repair service in Austin.