Green glass no longer accepted in city’s recycling effort

The city of Salisbury will stop collecting green glass as part of its curbside recycling pickup.

Salisbury residents should begin throwing the green glass away as part of their regular garbage, Public Services Director Vernon Sherrill said.

The recycling market for green glass has hit rock bottom.

Salisbury’s recycling contractor, CCC, offered to continue taking the green glass, but it would have cost the city an additional $18,900 a year, Sherrill reported, as compared to $330 for taking it to the county landfill over a year’s time.

CCC would have been forced to take the glass to Charlotte, some 40 miles away, Sherrill said.

Rowan County’s recycling program will no longer accept the green glass as of Friday. Salisbury and the towns of China Grove, Cleveland and Landis had been sending their green glass to the county.

If the market for green glass ever returns, the city will start accepting the green glass again, Sherrill said.