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Environmental Impact of Glass in Dublin: How Recycling Makes a Difference
Every glass bottle you recycle in Dublin helps cut waste and lower carbon emissions. Wondering how you can make real change—right from your doorstep? Read on to discover the true environmental impact of glass, and how simple habits can transform our city, one bottle at a time.
Table of Contents
Why Glass Matters in Dublin
Every year in Dublin, thousands of tonnes of glass bottles and jars are bought and emptied. Without recycling, these end up in landfills, wasting valuable resources and driving up emissions. But here’s the good news: glass is 100% recyclable—forever. Every bottle or jar you put in for recycling can come back as a new glass container, again and again, without loss in quality.
Yet, Dublin’s busy life means recycling isn’t always top of mind. Whether you live in the heart of D2 or out in Swords, it’s easy to let glass build up at home. That’s why a smarter, more convenient option—like doorstep glass collection—can make all the difference. Learn more about our Dublin roots.
Glass & The Environment: Myths vs Facts
Myth: Glass is just as bad for the environment as plastic, or that glass recycling isn't worth the bother.
Fact: Glass is made from sand, limestone, and soda ash. When sent to landfill, it never breaks down fully. Worse, new glass production uses a tonne of energy, increasing fossil fuel use and emissions in Ireland.
Recycling glass in Dublin cuts out raw material mining, saves about 1.2 tonnes of raw materials per tonne recycled, and slashes emissions by up to 580kg of CO2 per tonne. Plus, every recycled glass bottle saves energy equivalent to powering a lightbulb for four hours!
The catch: For this cycle to work, glass needs to leave your house and get to a recycling facility—clean, sorted, and unbroken.
That’s where clear, household services step in. See how doorstep collections make it simple.
Doorstep Glass Collection vs Bottle Banks
Bottle banks have served Dublin for decades, from the city centre to Bray and Malahide. They’re great in theory, but let’s be honest: life gets busy, and lugging 15kg of bottles to a bottle bank isn’t high on anyone’s weekend plans.
| Doorstep Collection | Bottle Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Ease | Simple: leave out bags, we do the rest | Requires trips and heavy lifting |
| Emissions | Less overall: optimised routes | Higher from lots of separate car journeys |
| Contamination | Low—collected in supplied bags | Often high—wrong material gets mixed in |
| Consistency | Regular, year-round | Depends on personal motivation |
Need to fit recycling into a hectic Dublin schedule? See your local collection dates.
Cost & Convenience: GlassBag vs The Old Way
Think doorstep glass collection is a luxury? Here’s the breakdown compared with DIY bottle bank trips:
| Glass Bag Collection | Bottle Bank (DIY) | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | €10/month or €8/month billed yearly | Free (but time & fuel) |
| Time Spent | Zero—just leave your bag out | Average 10–30 min/trip |
| Fuel/Car Costs | None | €5–€15/month (average petrol + parking) |
| Stress/Mess | Bag removed monthly, no pile-ups | Bags stuffed under sinks, bottles rolling in the boot! |
Cheaper than a takeaway and far better for the planet. See full pricing, including once-off and bag extras.
How We Make Glass Recycling Simple
Glass Bag Recycling Ltd was founded by Mark and David—two Dublin lads—who saw the struggle families and busy folks had getting glass to the bottle bank. So we made it as easy as:
- Order your bag online or by phone
- We deliver your bag at first collection
- You get a text reminder before every collection
- Leave your filled bag out by 7am on your collection date
- Our team collects and leaves your empty bag behind
We serve all of Dublin City and County—D1 to D24, D6W—plus Wicklow, East Meath, and East Kildare.
We collect mixed colour glass bottles, glass jars, and even non-broken glasses (think Nutella or pasta sauce jars). What we don’t collect: lightbulbs, ceramics, mirrors, or broken glass (see the full list).
Have questions or want to talk to a real person? Contact us today or call 086 871 9777.
Did You Know?
Each full GlassBag keeps about 60 bottles or 22 wine bottles out of landfill every month. That’s a lot of waste (and HEAVY bags) not sitting under your sink!
Permit & Professionalism
Fully licensed: Waste carrier permit NWCPO-25-13230-01. Powered by the same team behind JunkIreland.com & GoSimple.ie.
Dublin Community Impact
By using doorstep recycling, you slash traffic to bottle banks, reduce litter, and help keep Dublin’s neighbourhoods cleaner for all. See more local stories in our news blog.
Extra Environmental Benefits
- Reduces illegal dumping or fly-tipping at city bottle banks—a growing concern in Dublin
- Cleaner recycling stream (less contamination than public banks)
- Less glass in landfill means less soil and water pollution
- Fewer car journeys, since we collect on optimised routes
Want to know if we collect near you? Check your area’s EIRCODE schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does glass have a high environmental impact?
Virgin glass production is energy-hungry and emits CO2. But recycled glass slashes energy use and emissions. The more you recycle, the less Dublin needs new raw materials—so you’re actually making a big difference.
Can you put glass in the green bin in Ireland?No—never put glass in your household recycling (green) bin. These are for plastics and cardboard only. Glass must go to a bottle bank or use a dedicated collector like us. See collection details on our How It Works page.
What are the environmental issues in Dublin?Landfill space is tight, fly-tipping is on the rise, and traffic pollution continues to haunt the city. Simple habits like recycling glass via a service like ours help ease all three issues at once.
What is worse for the environment, plastic or glass?It depends on how each is managed. Glass requires lots of energy to make, but is endlessly recyclable without losing quality. Plastic degrades in quality and is rarely recycled more than once. The bottom line: glass cycling with annual bags is much greener, long-term.
How much can fit in a GlassBag?Each bag holds about 15kg or 60 beer bottles (or 22 wine bottles). Need more? Get extra bags any time for just €2/month or €20/year via our annual bag page.
Where can I check my next collection date?Easy! Visit our monthly calendar and pop in your EIRCODE. Or save the reminder texts we send ahead of every collection day!
Ready to ditch the bottle bank?
Doorstep glass collection from just €8/month. No contract, cancel anytime.
Get Started →Ready to clear out your junk?
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