Accidents happen all the time. Whether you break a wine glass, vase, or other breakable household items made of glass, this material can get everywhere. Contrary to what people may think, disposing of broken glass entails much more than just using a dust bin to sweep it and then putting it into a garbage bin. When you take care of broken glass properly, there are various steps you’ll need to take to prevent damage and injuries.
The following tips will give you the tools to clean up broken glass the right way, as well as other general information about this process.
When you sweep up the glass pieces, don’t put them in the bin right away; instead, use an old cloth and wrap it around the glass. Cloth material works better than paper, as the glass cannot cut through it. To make it extra secure and prevent any shards from falling out, wrap some tape around it.
Once you have completed the first step of wrapping the glass in a cloth, you’ll want to take the bigger pieces and make them smaller. To do so, use a hammer and gently break them into smaller chunks. Once you’re finished, look around and make sure that no small pieces made their way onto the floor
If you find little pieces of broken glass on the floor, there are various creative methods you can use to pick them up. If you have potatoes or large root vegetables that you can cut in half, bread, tape, or damp paper towels, you can easily use them to pick up the broken glass. That way, you can avoid potential harm to yourself or others and clean up the glass correctly.
You can also use a vacuum, but to do so requires extra care, or you could make the situation worse. First, remove any large pieces from the floor, and then vacuum the much smaller shards. You must never run your vacuum over the glass; rather, use a hose attachment instead. Also, if you have a vacuum with a bag, replace it before beginning, as the glass can cut into it.
The next step in disposing of glass is to put your wrapped pieces into a box that has a lid. You’ll also want to use tape again to seal the box and create a label that signifies there’s broken glass in it. If the only box you have is too large, then add more tape or items to it.
These first three steps are crucial in disposing of broken glass, and once you’ve done them, you can put them in your garbage bin.
Now that you know how to go about disposing of glass, it is also essential to know what not to do. As previously mentioned, do not wrap it in paper material, like a newspaper, and then just toss it in the trash bin. When the glass penetrates through the paper, it can cause injury and is especially dangerous because you have inadvertently hidden the glass. Also, do not take it to a recycling depot, as we will touch upon further.
One common myth about broken glass is that it can be recycled. You can’t recycle broken glass from regular household items, like light bulbs or window glass, because they have a different composition than glass jars. You need to be careful with light bulbs because they contain more hazardous materials and have special methods for handling. For instance, if a light bulb breaks in your home, leave the room right away—that way, you’ll avoid coming into contact with toxic gases. Then, handle the glass shards carefully and take them to a hazardous waste facility.
Drinking glasses cannot be recycled either; they have different melting points, so if you recycled them with other recyclable glass, it would be harmful. Instead, perform the previously mentioned steps and wrap them in cloth and seal it in a box. Doing so will also protect the safety of garbage handlers as they sort through the bins.
If you shatter a mirror, these more substantial pieces of glass need to be handled extra carefully because their sharp ends can lead to potential injuries. Do not just throw them out as is; rather, put tape on the jagged edges and over the remaining pieces so that they can be handled safely as they are collected.
Many people opt for a mixed waste garbage bin so that they don’t have to sort through each material to determine which one goes where. These containers were created to hold various kinds of household waste, and you can dispose of your broken glass in them.
Now that you know how to dispose of broken glass, you don’t have to stress when cleaning up household accidents. By following the previously mentioned steps, you won’t have to worry about potential injuries or hazards in your home.
At RedBins Disposal, we know how essential it is to sort your waste and be as eco-friendly as possible. If you have a lot of broken glass or need waste disposal services, we can help. We make it easy for you by offering an environmentally friendly junk removal service where you can sign up online or call us.
We are a proudly Canadian company based in Toronto, offering services to our loyal customers in the GTA since 2004. Our prices are competitive, and you won’t find any unexpected fees.
If you need junk removal services, be sure to get in touch with us today at 416-RED-BINS or 416-733-2467. You can also fill out the contact form on our website, and one of our friendly customer service representatives will get back to you right away.
