Yet more paper products need to be recycled. Glass jars and bottles used in food and beverage packaging are 100 percent recyclable. Glass can be used and reused an indefinite number of times without loss in quality. When sorting for recycling, the jars and bottles should be cleaned to prevent odors. All metal caps should be removed, but the labels can generally be left on.
Some programs request that glass be sorted into brown, green, and clear colors.
Aluminum beverage containers have been recycled for a number of years and are one of recycling's greatest success stories. American can producers, aluminum suppliers, and other groups have established buy-back centers in many communities. In the past ten years, more than 10 billion pounds of aluminum cans have been collected for recycling. Aluminum parts from vehicles and old appliances, siding, and gutters are also commonly recycled. This recycling effort accounts for approximately one-third of our annual aluminum supply.