Why doesn't Lincolnton recycle glass?

The simple answer is weight and sorting. Glass weighs too much, especially in a "single stream" or co-mingled recycling program. In addition, the glass recycling market has declined. 

Municipalities used to be paid for their recycling loads, which helped subsidize the cost of the recycling program. Now the City of Lincolnton actually pays a "tipping fee" to unload recycling at a MRF (Materials Recovery Facility). Tipping fees are based on weight and paid by the ton of material. So, although glass is 100% recyclable, the cost to add heavy, unsorted glass to Lincolnton recycling loads is too expensive for the city and taxpayers until the market recovers. The city monitors the recycling market and hopes to add glass back to our residential curbside recycling program when the glass market improves. 

City residents are encouraged to drop off pre-sorted glass recycling at any of the Lincoln County Convenience Sites.

Show All Answers

1. What kind of plastic can I recycle?
2. Will you pick up my recycling with my regular garbage?
3. What is recycling contamination?
4. Why doesn't Lincolnton recycle glass?
5. Why can't I recycle a cardboard pizza container? Cardboard is on the recycle list.
6. What about cars/vehicles? What can I do with an old vehicle?