The diagram illustrates the process of producing and recycling glass containers, such as bottles. Overall, glass manufacturing consists of four stages, while the glass recycling process includes five stages, beginning with the collection of used glass to create new products.
The first stage of glass production involves mixing sand with soda ash and other relevant chemicals. Once the raw materials are melted at approximately 1500°C, the liquid is shaped using glass-blowing techniques, resulting in various glass container shapes after a three-stage process.
The glass recycling process differs from glass production, starting with the collection of used glass. In the second stage, the used glass is sorted by color and washed to remove impurities. After this, in the third stage, all glass containers undergo crushing and melting.
Finally, in the last stage, the molten liquid is molded into new products. In summary, both the glass manufacturing and recycling processes are continuous and interconnected.