Q: How can I recycle glass?

By William Newlin

The City of Chattanooga does not offer curbside pickup to recycle glass waste — mixed with other recyclables, it’s a hazard for workers during sorting and can damage machinery. Instead, residents and businesses must take glass products to one of five recycling centers, which you can find here. 

But, for those willing to pay a fee, there is one curbside option in Chattanooga and parts of Hamilton County. Overlooked Materials began operations last year, and residents and businesses can sign up, receive a glass recycling bin, and get placed on one of the company’s pickup routes.

The local recycler processes glass waste and sells the resulting sand-like aggregate as both a landscaping alternative and a raw material for industries. Monthly pickup costs $15 for single-family homes, and rates vary for businesses. 

Roshonda Woods, the city’s solid waste operations manager, said the department is developing a partnership with Overlooked Materials to potentially bring free, curbside glass-recycling to Chattanooga.

Through a pilot program expected to start later this summer, Overlooked Materials would begin collecting glass at city recycling centers. Right now, the city pays to transport glass waste to recycling contractor WestRock, which in turn delivers it to an Atlanta company for processing.

By the end of the year, the city also aims to test curbside glass recycling on a small scale, Woods said. Overlooked Materials would pick up glass from 500 to 1,000 homes on existing recycling routes during the trial period, said the company’s founder Morgan Holl.

Curbside composting provided by NewTerra Compost would also be part of the pilot. The city hasn’t set a timeline for expanding either curbside service citywide.

Tips for curbside recycling

Remember, curbside recycling bins should only contain plastic and paper containers and steel and aluminum cans. All items should be clean and empty. Other paper products, such as newspapers, junk mail, and folded cardboard are also accepted.

See what is and isn’t accepted in curbside bins here.

Related videos: 

Contact William at william@chattamatters.com