The diagram illustrates how glass is recycled. Overall, the process consists of eight main steps, beginning with the collection of used bottles and culminating with new glass products. Notably, it is a complex process, most stage requiring special equipment and manual work.
To begin with, used glass bottles are collected in special recycling bins. Once collected, bottles are transported to a factory, where they undergo a purification process to remove any impurities such as dirt, grease, and other substances that might reduce the quality of the final product. After being purified, bottles are sorted using special equipment in an optoelectronic system.
In the following stage, the glass is crushed into tiny pieces and then cleaned again to ensure that the material is properly prepared for the next part of the production process. After this step is complete, small glass fragments are transferred into a furnace, where they are melted. Upon completion of the melting process, they are moulded. Finally, the process ends in the production of new glass products like glass bottles, jars, and glass containers.