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Comment by southeastern | Hacker News Reader

I think it's pretty well accepted at this point that this is an unsustainable trend. I'm not sure why glass isn't used more as an alternative, I'd assume cost and convenience. But it might be more expensive for us not to make the switch in the long run

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Sadly glass costs more, is more breakable and is quite heavy relative to its contents and therefore leads to higher CO2 emissions.

Glass is also theoretically close-loop recyclable but it's again cumbersome and expensive. It's usually downcycled into building materials.

My local area has even stopped recycling glass citing costs.

Mine as well, which surprised me since I thought that glass (probably separated by colour) was one of, if not the only, material that was less costly to recycle than make from scratch.

I'm already skeptical of the overall impact of recycling in general; I feel as though it makes people feel like they're helping the environment while turning attention away from the mass polluters. I'm definitely cynical, but I'd really like to be proven wrong on that last point.

Sterilize-and-reuse programs for glass bottles are excellent, but they are rare. In theory melting down used glass for inclusion in new glass production is an energy win, but it seems to be rarely used in practice. About the best most glass "recycling" seems to do is mix crushed glass into gravel and paving materials.

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