Flat-glass recycling
"Glass can be recycled any number of times without losing quality. It is crucial to separate and process the different types of waste glass, such as float glass, laminated glass, or insulating glass, by type."
Philipp Loddenkemper
Customer service glass
Responsible handling of raw materials
More than 1 million tons of processed flat and container glass per year makes us a leading recycling company in Europe. 100 years of experience and more than 650 employees allow us to enable reuse of high-quality processed cullet as a secondary raw material in the various glass industries and melting applications at 14 glass sites in Germany and abroad.
Contact us quickly and easily via our inquiry form and receive a non-binding offer.
Flat glass collection – it’s your decision
In order to achieve the best possible processing results, the various types of glass waste must be collected in as pure a form as possible. We offer you individual container solutions for this purpose: from the 1.1 m³ transfer containers, 5-10 m³ large skip containers to the 15 m³ large roll-off containers. Your individual needs, as well as the quantity and type of glass waste generated, are decisive here. Collection of float glass, laminated glass, windshields and insulating glass, as well as mixed fractions of different glasses, is, of course possible.
In addition, we also accept windows with PVC frames as part of our Rewindo partnership. We will be happy to advise you personally on the disposal solution that best suits you and your needs! Feel free to contact us!
Shared responsibility
We achieve a consistent reduction of CO2 emissions, as well as a responsible use of available resources, together by collecting and recycling your glass waste.
However, traders are already subject to regulations on the separate collection of waste in this respect! For example, the commercial waste ordinance (Gewerbeabfallverordnung) stipulates that waste such as paper, wood, glass, and metals must be separated at the point of generation. This is the only way to ensure that the waste is recycled to the highest possible quality. We will support you – of course also on site – with an optimised disposal solution for you, as well as with the officially required disposal certificates.
Highest quality standards
The requirements of the glassworks to purity of the prepared cullet are very high. Even small amounts of impurities may lead to enclosures in the glass or discolouration. The float glass tank will be damaged in the most extreme case.
We use cutting-edge processing technology such as X-ray fluorescence analysis in order to meet the strict glassworks specifications if any non-glass materials end up in the collection container after all. We played a major role in development of this technique, which is now used worldwide. The innovative processing steps allow removal of CSP (ceramic-stone-porcelain), FE metals, and non-ferrous metals, as well as glass ceramics, lead-containing glasses, and organic substances from the collected glass waste. As a result, our recyclates can be used in virtually any melting application to add value.
Click here for our glass recycling brochure.
FAQ flat glass recycling
True to the motto: Your questions – our answers! We answer frequently asked questions about flat glass disposal at our glass recycling plants in Germany and Europe.
Recycling flat glass conserves resources, saves energy and CO2 emissions, and thus contributes significantly to environmental protection. Recycled flat glass is used as a secondary raw material in glass production, e. g. in the float glass industry, and remains in the cycle.
As a rule, all flat glass can be recycled by the Reiling Group. This includes, for example, windows, windshields (car glass), float glass, laminated safety glass, insulating glass, mirror glass, single-pane safety glass and much more. Thanks to highly specialised and efficient recycling processes, the recycled glass cullet can be used as a secondary raw material for new (flat) glass products.
We would be happy to advise you on the disposal of your glass waste.
Due to its material differences from container glass, flat glass does not belong in the municipal glass recycling bin but is collected and recycled separately.
In private households, small quantities (e.g. shards) should be disposed of in the residual waste bin and larger quantities, i.e. whole windows or similar, at the recycling centre.
Flat glass in the commercial sector is collected and recycled in special containers for glass disposal. As a recycling specialist for flat glass, the Reiling Group is committed to providing customised container solutions for the optimal recycling of flat glass and its return to high-quality melting applications.
The cost of disposing of flat glass depends on the type of flat glass and the quality (purity) of the flat glass to be recycled.
Please contact us for an individual offer!
Yes! Depending on the quantity and local conditions, we will provide you with a suitable container and collect it reliably as agreed. Container replacement for permanent waste generation is also possible, as is regular collection. Whether stackable containers (<1.5 m³), skip bins (5–12 m³) or roll-off containers (15 m³) – we tailor our services to your individual needs!
We would also be happy to advise you on site! Get in touch with us.
We offer you a customised waste disposal concept tailored to your needs. With small stackable containers (with and without castors) for flexible collection in production, various skips (5–12 m³) and roll-off containers (15 m³), we will find the best solution for you for the collection and disposal of your flat glass. Collection is fast and reliable, depending on the agreement – everything is possible, from just-in-time to regular collections.
We are happy to advise you personally – even on site. Contact us!
Large quantities of container glass (bottles, preserving jars, etc.) and flat glass can be disposed of with the help of a recycling company such as the Reiling Group. We offer container solutions tailored to your needs and take care of the collection of flat glass quickly and reliably. This is recycled at our glass recycling sites so that the processed flat glass can be made available to the glass industry for the production of new flat glass.
For the disposal of small quantities of container glass, please use the municipal waste glass containers.
Please feel free to contact us!
The prerequisite for efficient recycling of flat glass is the separate collection of your flat glass waste. At our recycling sites, windows, car windows, safety glass, float glass and much more are collected separately and fed into a mechanical, multi-stage recycling process using highly specialised recycling equipment. The flat glass is first crushed to break down the material composites. Then, all non-glass materials such as plastic layers in the glass, window frames, metals and wires are meticulously sorted out. This sorting process is carried out using magnets, non-ferrous metal separators, suction systems and electro-optical sorting units.
The high-quality recycled glass cullet is melted down in the (float) glass industry for glass production, saving considerable amounts of resources, energy and CO2 emissions. With optimal collection, recycled glass can be reused and recycled again and again without any loss of quality.
Flat glass – i.e. glass in the form of flat panes – must not be disposed of in municipal glass recycling containers due to its differences from container glass, but must be collected and recycled separately.
In private households, small quantities, such as broken glass, belong in the residual waste, while larger pieces – such as complete window panes – must be taken to the recycling centre.
In the commercial sector, flat glass is collected in special glass containers.
As a specialist in flat glass recycling, the Reiling Group supports this process with tailor-made container solutions, thus ensuring efficient recycling and return to high-quality melting processes.
Working together as partners
We offer you an all-round carefree package with our comprehensive range of services, from reliable disposal logistics and container rental to personal consulting and on-site support, to delivery of a high-quality glass recyclate. Our services include complete documentation and submission of evidence. Close cycles with us!