(EDITOR'S NOTE: Confused about what you can and can’t recycle, not to mention the “where” and “how”? Let Covington’s Solid Waste & Recycling team break it down for you.)

COVINGTON, Ky. – Glass can be reused almost endlessly. The key is to recycle correctly, because the “wrong” kind of glass contains contaminants that can disrupt the manufacturing process.

To that end, here’s a cheat sheet that elaborates on what Rumpke Waste & Recycling means when it says it accepts “Glass Bottles & Jars (all colors)” in Covington’s curbside program.

As always, make sure the containers and bottles are clean and unbroken. No shards.

Recyclable curbside:

• Bottles – Any color bottle, including soda bottles, adult beverage (wine, liquor, and beer) bottles, olive oil bottles. Remove lid.
• Jars – Any color jar, including Mason or Ball canning jars, spaghetti sauce jars, salsa jars, jelly jars, pickle jars. Remove lid.

Not recyclable curbside:

• Drinking glasses – The glass has been manufactured to ensure strength and to withstand varying amounts of heat. If they are still in good shape, donate to a thrift store.
• Light bulbs – Recycle these through hardware stores like The Home Depot and Lowes, or take to Covington’s annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event.
• Mirrors – Donate to a thrift store if in good shape. If not, take precautions when setting out for the trash by wrapping with newspaper/paper and/or taping an “X” across the front with duct tape. This prevents the glass from breaking and perhaps injuring the driver and spilling into the street.
• Window Glass – The glass has been manufactured to ensure strength and withstand varying amounts of heat. Donate to a place that salvages building materials, such as Building Value. If putting in the trash, prepare as you would a mirror (above).
• Essential oils bottles – Glass has been manufactured to hold the fragrance of the oil. 
• Make-up bottles – Make up bottles are often contaminated with makeup residue. Nordstrom has the BeautyCycle makeup container takeback program. See BeautyCycle location to find where.
• Perfume bottles – Glass has been manufactured to hold the fragrance of the oil. Learn more about how to recycle or donate perfume bottles.
• Candle jars – Glass has been manufactured to withstand heat. As always, consider giving the jar a new life prior to disposing of it in the trash.
• Ceramic – We know it’s not glass, but we have many people who ask. Ceramic coffee mugs, ceramic pots etc. are not currently recyclable curbside.

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