Learn About Glass Recycling

Glass will never wear out and great thing about it is that it can be recycled over and over again. ¹ It is one of the few materials that can be recycled without losing its strength, purity and quality.² Glass recycling is a process wherein the waste glass is turned into usable products, such as glass coasters, windows, bottles, and more, . Glass waste should be separated according to chemical content, usage and into different colors. Most individuals who recycle glass collect different colors of glass separately because glass retains its color after recycling.²

Importance of Recycling Glass

It is important to recycle glass because it is definitely 100 percent recyclable and can be recycled endlessly without affecting its purity and quality. ² The vital part of any community recycling program is glass bottles and glass jars.²

Glass manufacturers need a high-quality recycled container glass in order to meet the market demands for new glass containers. Recycled glass or cullet is always part of the ingredient which also includes sand, soda ash and limestone. ² The more cullet that is being used, there will greater reduction of energy being used which will lead to a lower manufacturing costs and gives good benefits to the environment.²

Process of Recycling Glass

In glass recycling, the glass goes through several processes before it can become a new product.

Glass Collection

The very first process is to collect glass from consumers and take it to the glass recycling centers.

Sorting of glass collected

Sorting is the process wherein the unwanted glass is to be sorted according to their colors. This process is done because different chemicals need to be added to different colored waste glass in order to produce recycled glass according to the desired color.³

Producing glass cullet

The next stage after sorting in the glass recycle process includes crushing and grinding the waste glass into small pieces. The finely crushed glass pieces are called the cullet.³

Removing the glass contaminants

After producing cullet, the next stage in the glass recycling process involves the removal of contaminants away from the glass cullet.

The glass cullet is then passed through a magnetic field, wherein the metal contaminants like metal bottle caps are being removed from the glass. ³ Other contaminants such as paper and plastic are being taken out manually or through an automated procedure.³

Making of the recycled glass

The cullet is melted and then it can be used for manufacturing recycled glass products such as new glass containers, jars, bottles and many more.³

Making recycled glass products

The last stage for the glass recycling process is that the recycled glass whether colored or cleared, is then molded or shaped into various glass products and being sold in the market.

Facts about recycling glass

One interesting thing about glass recycling is that glass never decomposes and that it can be recycled hundred times without affecting its quality.³

Products made from Recycled Glass?

The top value products that are made from recycled glass are the new glass bottles and jars. ⁴ Another high end value product is the fiberglass insulation. Both of these products need recycled glass that is color-sorted and no contaminants.⁴

The glass that does not meet the requirements to create new glass containers can be used for various for secondary applications such as countertops and floors, landscaping, tiles and ingredient for roadway products.⁴

Benefits of Glass Recycling

Actually glass is one of the most common and easiest materials to be recycled and it is found everywhere from wine bottles to tables. Here are some benefits that we can get out from recycling glasses:

Energy Conservation

The primary natural resources in making a glass are sand, soda ash and limestone. ⁵ Glass manufacturers use these resources with cullet. In using more cullet, it lessens the energy being used in collecting raw materials, and that cullet has a lower melting point compared to other things. In recycling one glass bottle, it saves enough energy in order to power a computer for about 30 minutes and a television for 20 minutes.⁵

Reduced Landfills

According to the Glass Packing Institute, using 50 percent recycled glass in order to make new glass bottles or containers will reduce around more than 180,000 tons of glass from landfills every month. ⁵ In 2013, glass producers plan to meet the target of using 50 percent recycled glass in making all new glasses. ⁵ This target is very important since glass bottles don't decompose easily specifically in landfills.

Cleaner Environment

Nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide, both dangerous greenhouse gases, are being emitted during the manufacturing of a glass ⁵ In using recycled glass it reduces energy needed to manufacture glass products so it also lessens the emissions of these gases.

Resource Preservation

Glass has to be quarried and this has a great impact on the environment that can be reduced by increasing the number of cullet in making new glass. In recycling 1 ton of glass conserve about 1 ton of raw materials.⁵

References:

1. http://www.lehighcounty.org/Departments/SolidWasteManagement/RecyclingFacts/Glass/tabid/521/Default.aspx
2. http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Glass_recycling
3. http://www.all-recycling-facts.com/glass-recycle.html
4. http://earth911.com/recycling/glass/
5. http://www.livestrong.com/article/136269-benefits-recycling-glass/

Make Places Feel More Inviting with Japanese Noren

There is always something about a hanging Japanese noren that makes a place feel warmer and inviting. Also known as door hanging or Japanese doorway curtains, Japanese noren curtains are typically soft and thick rectangular tapestries, which are made of fabrics, like cotton, polyester, rayon, and linen. They are traditionally hung on the entrances and doorways of shops and restaurants and can be used in many ways, i.e., as signage, as soft fabric blinds that will help to screen spaces from the flow of dust from the road or to shield glass-walled interiors from the heat and glare of the sun, as space and room partitions, as a means of giving spaces a sense of privacy, and many more.

Being made of fabrics, which sometimes have the subtle sheen of silk, Japanese noren curtains are usually soft to touch and will delight you for their beautiful texture. Depending upon their fabric thickness, some Japanese noren can filter the flow of light without completely blocking your view of the outdoors. Thicker varieties, meanwhile, particularly those that are long, can even work as space dividers that can help to keep the heat or cold of your air-conditioning equipment enclosed inside an intended space. And, just like curtains, fabric blinds, and all your other functional decorating implements,you can use your Japanese noren to give your indoor and outdoor spaces many different kinds of looks.

Maintain the Privacy of Spaces Even With Open Doors

Japanese noren curtains are easily hung by feeding a curtain rod, like a curtain rod, thin bamboo pole, or a long wooden dowel, through the loops or pockets, which are sewn on their top. They also feature one or more slits for easy viewing and passage. Unlike most curtains, they are designed to be hung without folds around the rod and they are available in various lengths – from the short Japanese noren curtains, which you can hang like valances or signs on the doorways, entryways, and windows, to the long Japanese noren, which are excellent at maintaining the privacy of a room even when the doors are open because they hang long enough to partially or fully cover the doorway.

With proper care, your Japanese noren will actually last for a very long time. Hang them in areas where they are not directly exposed to the sunlight, hand-wash them regularly to get rid of any dust and dirt that will reduce their color, especially of their silkscreen-painted design.

Create an Abundance of Colorful, Japanese-Style Looks

Create an abundance of colorful looks and Japanese-style decorating themes with these Japanese noren curtains! Whether you simply love Japanese noren or thinking of bringing a beautiful kind of art – especially one that can multitask as soft fabric screens – into your space, like the living room of your home, the sitting room of your office, mansion, or building, the dining area of your restaurant, and the entryway to your patio, garden, or veranda, KimonoRobeStore.com is here to guarantee that you will find the perfect Japanese noren for you.

Looking for a Feng Shui noren, an Asian tapestry that will provide a rich color palette to your decorating theme, a high-quality reproduction of a Japanese or Asian painting, or a noren with a distinctive Japanese style, a seasonal flair, a fun or playful appeal, or a modern look? Trust that GlassCoasterStore.com has these Japanese noren, Asian tapestry, or genuine Asian home decor for you to choose from!

Buy Now!

Shopping your genuine Japanese noren here on GlassCoasterStore.com, you will actually see how these enduring Asian tapestries highlight the Japanese artistry and were masterfully crafted to color and beautify every place you bring them in. Thus, it is easy to love them at first sight because of the high-definition prints of their design on beautifully textured, often heavyweight, high-quality fabrics. So, don't hesitate to settle for just one – collect Japanese noren in all your custom designs for a themed look, as ready extra to hang on extraordinary days, or to send as Asian gifts for very special friends and loved ones.

All our Japanese noren is ready to ship. Shipping to your destination within the 48 contiguous states of the United States is also available for your order. With our drop-shipping and international shipping offers, you can also send your Japanese noren order directly to your customers or to their lucky recipients here in the United States or to international locations, which are covered by our international shipping destinations. So, shop away because GlassCoasterStore.com makes it so easy for you to shop these Japanese noren and all the other Asian home decor that we have in-store in just a few clicks! Happy shopping!

Interesting Facts and History of the Japanese Noren

Traditionally, businesses hang a noren outside of the door as a sign that their shop is open. They are always removed or hung inside the door at the end of the business day to mean that their shop is closed. While giving shops a unique persona, noren also acts as a welcome sign and a promotional tool that attracts with its color and design.

The Japanese noren is deeply stitched within the heart, history, and culture of Japan. It was during the Jomon Period (13000 - 300 BC), many thousands of years ago, when the Japanese started to adapt their use as Nanren or door hanging. Using large leaves, long grasses, and reeds, people would hang them at the doorways of their homes and temples as windbreakers for protection from the sun, wind, and dust.

During the Heian Period (794 - 1192), people started to make noren as rectangular tapestries with a slit using fabrics, like hemp. They were also utilized as everyday implements, particularly as door hangings and partitions for large rooms. The Muromachi Period (1392 - 1573) had seen the evolution of the Japanese noren as a tool for trade and recognition when the Japanese shops started to hang them at the entrance of the stores with their business name, logo, products, or services while families would decorate them noren with their family name.

Over the centuries, the noren was also called by many names, like Nanren, Nauren, and Nohren. Its purpose and design have also attracted many individuals and businesses alike, thus more than door hangings, door signs, and promotional tools, they are cherished as canvas for works for art, as multipurpose tapestries for decorating the inside and outside of homes and business places, Asian decor, and a lot more.

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