Glass is primarily made from combinations of sand, soda ash, and limestone - elements commonly found and mined worldwide. Glass can be recycled over and over without change in quality. By using recycled glass, the new glass can be made with fewer natural resources and less energy. The cullet allows the glass to melt at a lower temperature, which means manufacturers can use lower furnace temperatures and save energy. Also, crushed glass can be used in reflective road paints, road beds, and the grit for sand blasting.
Plastic is a strong, light-weight material that is easily molded into almost any shape.
Not all plastic is made with the same recipe. Each plastic type is chemically engineered to melt, bend, or be formed in a certain way. In fact, the numbers on the bottom of plastic products do not accurately reflect the varied recipes used to make products and are poor indicators as to whether or not a product is acceptable for recycling. Some plastics have markets for recycling. Plastics can be recycled into any products which have identical chemical properties - for example pop bottles can be shredded, pelletized and made into carpet or polyester clothing.