Can you recycle broken glass?
Wrapped in general waste in most areas; some accept broken bottles in glass collections
Broken drinking glasses, windows and ovenware are NOT the same glass as bottles and jars and should never go in glass recycling. Broken bottles and jars themselves are accepted by some councils but others ask for general waste for safety. Always wrap broken glass thickly in paper or put it in a labelled box before binning so it cannot injure collection crews.
Tips
- Wrap shards in newspaper and label the bag 'broken glass'
- Broken tumblers and Pyrex are never recyclable — general waste only
Which bin does it go in?
Wrapped in general waste in most areas; some accept broken bottles in glass collections Exact rules depend on your council — check its website or look up your postcode below.
Councils can use different containers and accepted-item lists.
Background: The 10 recycling mistakes that ruin lorry-loads.
Also searched as: smashed glass, glass shards.
✓ Checked against current UK guidance: 14 Jul 2026. Spot an error or an out-of-date rule?