Sheldon, Iowa — Glass is once again being recycled in northwest Iowa. But it’s not like it used to be.
Several years ago, glass used to be one of the recyclable materials picked up and hauled to the recycling center at the landfill between Sheldon and Hospers. But due to some pretty understandable reasons, they stopped accepting it. First of all, officials with the Northwest Iowa Solid Waste Agency told us at that time that with sharp splinters of glass comingled with the rest of the recyclables, like plastic, paper, and cardboard, it was a hazard to the people who were hired to separate the recyclables at the center. It was easy for people to get cut by the glass. Secondly, we were told at that time that there was just no market for glass. So they couldn’t get any company or service to accept the glass.
However, things have started to turn the other way. According to Northwest Iowa Solid Waste Agency Director Brent Kach, their recycling center has again started to accept glass. The thing is, glass now has to be kept separate from other recyclables.
Kach says the only cities that he’s aware of that have a glass recycling drop-off are Sioux Center and Orange City. Both towns have haulers that deliver the glass to the recycling center, where there is a concrete bunker in which they store the glass.
Since there is no glass pickup service or drop-off in other communities in northwest Iowa, people who live in or near other towns who want to recycle their glass would have to haul it in individually, says Kach.
He tells us they accept clear, brown, and green bottles, jars, and single-pane type window glass. Other types of glass are not accepted.
A reminder — glass wine, beer, and soda bottles often have a five-cent refund/deposit like cans, and can be recycled through most can redemption centers.
