The process diagram illustrates the manufacturing steps for recycling glass, starting from a used and empty glass bottle back to a brand new one.
Overall, the process can be summarised in two parts. Firstly, the glass has to be collected and broken down into simpler components. Secondly, the shattered glass is then reassembled into a final product ready to be used again.
The recycling process begins with the collect of glass in appropriate bins, which are then brought to a treatment plant to be washed and sterilised. Once all of the glass has been prepared for the next step, it is crushed using an hydraulic press, and transformed into a liquid by a melting machine.
The raw material can now be molded into whatever shape is required by pouring it into a mold. The glass cools and hardens when its temperature goes back to normal. It is now ready to be transported and sold so that a new customer can buy it, use it, and throw it away, thus, completing the cycle.