Beer Processing
what is the beer bottle recycling process?
I need information on the recycling process once at the plant and the impact it has on the environment. For example are harsh chemicals used to clean up the bottles?
Hi there,
The Greater Vancouver Regional District has a simple, but good, pamphlet on glass recycling at http://www.gvrd.bc.ca/recycling-and-garbage/pdfs/facts-glass.pdf and from what I understand in Manitoba “refillable beer bottles (most brown-bottle screw-capped) get inspected, washed, and sent back to breweries for reuse. Imported bottles and odd shaped bottles are sent for crushing and treated like all other recycled glass containers”. Interestingly, there is no facility to deal with other glass recycling in Manitoba so it gets turned into crushed glass to be used as fill in various projects such as roads. For more info http://www.umreg.org/wiki/index.php?title=FAQ
I can’t find anywhere that indicates that any sort of harsh chemicals are used in the process. As they are being washed with the intent of refilling them with a potable beverage I doubt it.
the canning process…