{"id":981,"date":"2025-08-19T15:03:06","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T15:03:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/?p=981"},"modified":"2025-08-19T16:04:48","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T16:04:48","slug":"reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/","title":{"rendered":"Reuse, repurpose, refill or recycle?"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n
\r\n
\r\n

Glass is one of the most sustainable packaging materials we have \u2013 it\u2019s strong, endlessly recyclable, and made from natural ingredients. But when people talk about making glass \u2018circular\u2019, they often mix up the language. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Terms like reuse<\/strong>, repurpose<\/strong>, refill<\/strong>, and recycling<\/strong> get thrown around as if they mean the same thing. In reality, they describe very different journeys a glass container can take after its first use.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what each term really means, and why it matters.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Reuse: Same purpose, same shape<\/strong><\/h3>\n

What it is:<\/strong> Putting a glass item back into use without changing its form or function. Think of returning a bottle to be washed and used again as\u2026 a bottle.<\/p>\n

In action:<\/strong> A brewery collecting used beer bottles, washing them, and refilling them with the same product for resale. Or a milk round where glass bottles are picked up and reused repeatedly.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Why it matters:<\/strong> Reuse is one of the most efficient ways to reduce waste \u2013 it keeps the original glass container in use for longer, avoiding the energy and resources needed to make a new one each time. But it requires infrastructure: collection, cleaning, and redistribution. Reuse works best when glass packaging is standardised and used locally<\/strong>, making it easier to collect, wash and refill containers without transporting them long distances.<\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

Repurpose: New use, same item<\/strong><\/h3>\n

What it is:<\/strong> Giving a glass item a new function without changing its physical form.<\/p>\n

In action:<\/strong> Using an old jar to store screws in the shed. Turning a wine bottle into a candle holder. Filling a finished pickle jar with overnight oats.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Why it matters:<\/strong> Repurposing keeps glass out of the waste stream and stretches its life, even if it doesn\u2019t return to the commercial system. It\u2019s low-effort and creative \u2013 but not scalable or trackable.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t forget to pop it in the recycle bin<\/strong> \u2013 once it reaches the end of its repurposed life!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Refill: Same container, same contents (ish)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

What it is:<\/strong> Replacing the contents of a container while keeping the original packaging intact \u2013 often done by the consumer or at a designated refill point.<\/p>\n

In action:<\/strong> Buying shower gel in a glass bottle and refilling it from a bulk dispenser. Refilling your perfume bottle at home<\/a>. Picking up vinegar at a zero-waste shop using your own glass container. Subscribing to a cleaning brand like Purdy & Figg and receiving refills for your glass bottle container.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Why it matters:<\/strong> Refill bridges the gap between reuse and convenience<\/strong> because it delivers waste reduction without requiring the full infrastructure or logistics of a reuse system \u2013 giving consumers a lower-effort way to reduce single-use packaging.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Recycle: Back to basics, then reborn<\/strong><\/h3>\n

What it is:<\/strong> Breaking glass down into raw material (cullet) so it can be melted and reformed into new glass products.<\/p>\n

In action:<\/strong> Tossing an empty sauce jar into your kerbside recycling. It\u2019s crushed, cleaned, and melted to make new bottles, jars, or even insulation.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Why it matters:<\/strong> Glass is infinitely recyclable with no loss of quality \u2013 unlike many other materials. But it does take energy to transport, sort, and melt it. Closed-loop recycling (bottle to bottle) is the most efficient route, but only if it\u2019s collected properly and not contaminated with other materials.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Why the distinction matters<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If we want to build a truly circular economy for glass, we need to be clear about which path we\u2019re taking \u2013 and what\u2019s realistic.<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Reuse and refill<\/strong> are top-tier solutions but require system change: consistent packaging, collection logistics, and engaged consumers.<\/li>\n
  • Repurposing<\/strong> is a great personal habit, but it doesn\u2019t scale or reduce the demand for new glass.<\/li>\n
  • Recycling<\/strong> remains the foundation of glass circularity \u2013 glass that isn\u2019t reused or refilled must<\/em> be recycled properly to stay in the loop.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Each option has its place. The challenge is choosing the right mix \u2013 not just what sounds good on a label, but what works in practice.<\/p>\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    How to get the most from your glass packaging…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":989,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-981","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-environment","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nReuse, repurpose, refill or recycle? - Friends of Glass UK<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How to get the most from your glass packaging...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Reuse, repurpose, refill or recycle? - Friends of Glass UK\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"How to get the most from your glass packaging...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Friends of Glass UK\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-08-19T15:03:06+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-08-19T16:04:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/08\/Correct-position-2-1.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1440\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"foguk\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"foguk\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"foguk\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/1ea16194f30982499b20b5068d1c9a0d\"},\"headline\":\"Reuse, repurpose, refill or recycle?\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-08-19T15:03:06+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-08-19T16:04:48+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/\"},\"wordCount\":5,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/08\/Correct-position-2-1.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"Environment\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/\",\"name\":\"Reuse, repurpose, refill or recycle? - Friends of Glass UK\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/08\/Correct-position-2-1.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-08-19T15:03:06+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-08-19T16:04:48+00:00\",\"description\":\"How to get the most from your glass packaging...\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/08\/Correct-position-2-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/08\/Correct-position-2-1.png\",\"width\":1440,\"height\":800},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Reuse, repurpose, refill or recycle?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/\",\"name\":\"Friends of Glass UK\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Friends of Glass UK\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/03\/FoG_site_logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/03\/FoG_site_logo.png\",\"width\":458,\"height\":227,\"caption\":\"Friends of Glass UK\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/1ea16194f30982499b20b5068d1c9a0d\",\"name\":\"foguk\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/17be84a4fcb2495204faa1e740866fead5afbfa419dbf7873dce294c96dd45e3?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/17be84a4fcb2495204faa1e740866fead5afbfa419dbf7873dce294c96dd45e3?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"foguk\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/author\/foguk\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Reuse, repurpose, refill or recycle? - Friends of Glass UK","description":"How to get the most from your glass packaging...","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Reuse, repurpose, refill or recycle? - Friends of Glass UK","og_description":"How to get the most from your glass packaging...","og_url":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/","og_site_name":"Friends of Glass UK","article_published_time":"2025-08-19T15:03:06+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-08-19T16:04:48+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1440,"height":800,"url":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/08\/Correct-position-2-1.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"foguk","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"foguk","Est. reading time":"1 minute"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/"},"author":{"name":"foguk","@id":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/1ea16194f30982499b20b5068d1c9a0d"},"headline":"Reuse, repurpose, refill or recycle?","datePublished":"2025-08-19T15:03:06+00:00","dateModified":"2025-08-19T16:04:48+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/"},"wordCount":5,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/08\/Correct-position-2-1.png","articleSection":["Environment"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/","url":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/","name":"Reuse, repurpose, refill or recycle? - Friends of Glass UK","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/08\/Correct-position-2-1.png","datePublished":"2025-08-19T15:03:06+00:00","dateModified":"2025-08-19T16:04:48+00:00","description":"How to get the most from your glass packaging...","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/08\/Correct-position-2-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/08\/Correct-position-2-1.png","width":1440,"height":800},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/reuse-repurpose-refill-or-recycle\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Reuse, repurpose, refill or recycle?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/#website","url":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/","name":"Friends of Glass UK","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/#organization","name":"Friends of Glass UK","url":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/03\/FoG_site_logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/03\/FoG_site_logo.png","width":458,"height":227,"caption":"Friends of Glass UK"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/1ea16194f30982499b20b5068d1c9a0d","name":"foguk","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/17be84a4fcb2495204faa1e740866fead5afbfa419dbf7873dce294c96dd45e3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/17be84a4fcb2495204faa1e740866fead5afbfa419dbf7873dce294c96dd45e3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"foguk"},"url":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/stories\/author\/foguk\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/981","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=981"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/981\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/989"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=981"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=981"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/friendsofglass.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=981"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}