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To illustrate the difference between glass packaging and other types of glass and how this affects recycling of these materials. Familiarisation with the concept of reuse and deposit bottle systems. Describing glass recycling using onomatopoeia and using the musical properties of glass instruments to create a recycling "jingle." Researching how glass is recycled locally and developing an advertising campaign to encourage participation and use of the glass recycling facilities. |
Activity 1-reading and comprehension of information sheet Activity 2 - identifying different types of glass and using reference texts to find out how they are made. Activity 3 - writing a glass recycling poem using onomatopoeia. Activity 4 - making percussion instruments from glass jars filled with water and devising a recycling jingle. Extension Activity - designing and running an advertising campaign to encourage people to reuse and recycle glass bottles and jars |
Activity 1 - English Activity 2 - English Activity 3 - English Activity 4 - Music and English Extension Activity - English, Art, DT, Geography, PSHE and Maths |
Glass information sheet Library - books about glass making Glass bottles or jars, jug of water Contact details and information from local council on glass recycling facilities. |
Items in bold will need to be brought in from home.
Glass is a very versatile material and its properties are derived from the way it is manufactured (whether it is rolled or blown) and chemical additives which strengthen or alter the glass. The most common type of glass in household waste is glass packaging (bottles and jars) and this is often collected for recycling in bottle banks. Other types of glass such as Pyrex, plate glass or glasses cannot be recycled through the same route because the chemical composition of these type of glass contaminates the packaging glass. Glass recycling is a very old process and all glass packaging manufacturers use a proportion of "cullet" (broken glass bottles and jars) in the glass making process. This recovered glass reduces the amount of energy needed to form the glass from the raw materials.
The reuse of glass packaging is commonplace either by reusing jars for storage or in more formal return systems such as milk bottles and returnable bottle systems. Today there are very few deposit bottles in circulation although thirty to forty years ago these were often the main way in which beverages were sold and packaged. There are a number of reasons for this change including the switch to lightweight plastic bottles and cartons, the popularity of the supermarket and the cost of collecting returned bottles. Although in the UK there are very few deposit systems for glass bottles elsewhere in the world these systems still operate.
Glass packaging comes in three main colours - clear ("flint"), green and brown ("amber") - and these colours have to be separated for recycling so that the green and brown bottles do not colour the clear glass bottles. Most of the glass containers made in the UK are clear glass although most of the glass collected in bottle banks is green. This is because many of the green bottles have been used for wine made and packaged outside the UK. This is causing difficulties in the glass recycling markets and many local authorities are trying to encourage householders to save more clear glass. More information on glass recycling can be obtained from the Waste Watch Wasteline or by visiting our web site.
Safety note; Although glass packaging is an everyday item, which all children will handle, it is important to exercise considerable care when using bottles in the classroom.
Activity 1
Question 1 the ingredients of glass are sand, limestone and soda ash
Question 2 you should only put out glass jars and bottles for recycling because the other types of glass cannot be recycled in the same process
Question 3 more cartons and plastic bottles are used today because they are lighter to transport and cheaper to make.
Question 4 the average household uses between three and four glass bottles or jars a week and so the annual use ranges between 156 and 208.
Extension Activity is a project that will need several lessons to complete and requires information and support from your local council and wider community.
Following the steps below you are going to design and run an advertising campaign to encourage people to reuse and recycle glass bottles and jars.
Find out how glass is collected for recycling in your area.
a) Find out where the nearest bottle bank site is to your school, or on which day glass is collected from households for recycling.
b) Write to the Recycling Officer or Waste Manager at your local council and ask them:
· what should and should not be put into the banks or collections
· a copy of any leaflets they may have.
· where the bottles and jars go to once they have been collected
· how much is collected each year and how much more could be collected.
c) If there is no glass recycling scheme in your area ask the Council some more questions to find out the reasons why not.
d) If possible visit the recycling site or watch the collections. Make a note of what you see.
Do a survey of your parents, friends and family and find out how many of them recycle glass and how many do not. Write down the reasons why they do or do not recycle their glass.
Why is it that some people do not recycle? Are there physical reasons or is it an attitude problem? How could you make them change their minds?
Use the information you gathered in your research to make an information leaflet or poster on glass recycling.
Look at other leaflets or posters that are trying to tell you something important. Decide which of these you think are the best. Discuss why some are better than others. Use these questions to help.
· Are there lots of words?
· Are the words easy to understand and read?
· Have they used pictures instead of words?
· Were they serious or funny?
When you have decided what makes a good poster or leaflet use your ideas to design your own one.
Some things to include might be
· A catch phrase - this might be the first line of your poem or jingle.
· A map of where to find the recycling banks
· Tips on using the recycling collections including what should not be put in the collections
· Ways in which glass containers can be reused
· Reasons why it is good to recycle glass containers. Don't forget to think about the reasons people gave for not recycling and see if you can provide alternatives that overcome these concerns.
Show people at school and at home your leaflet or poster, or sing them the jingle you made up for Glass Worksheet Activity 4.
Ask them if it has encouraged them to reuse and recycle more glass. Find out what they liked about your campaign and how it has helped them to understand the reasons for reusing and recycling.
If they are still not willing to recycle or reuse glass ask them to suggest what other help they might need.
Compare your findings from before and after the campaign. Report your results to the rest of the class or use the information for a class assembly to the whole school.
Tell your local Council about your campaign, as they may want to use it themselves!