How to Prepare Unwashed & Unsorted Glass Bottles for Maximum Cash Payout

If you collect waste glass bottles from households, restaurants, or community cleanups in Pietermaritzburg, preparing your loads correctly ensures you get weighed quickly and paid the highest possible rate.

At Amabongo Solutions, our slogan is clear: We buy unwashed and unsorted glass bottles! However, taking a few extra minutes to sort out non-recyclable materials can significantly boost your total cash payout at our Mkondeni depot.

1. Why Amabongo Buys Unwashed Bottles

Most traditional recycling buyers require collectors to wash every single bottle with soap and water to remove soda or alcohol sticky residue. This wastes precious water and hours of labor.

Because of our streamlined processing methods, you do not need to wash your bottles before bringing them to us. Liquid residue inside bottles will not reduce your rate!

2. What Materials MUST Be Kept OUT of Glass (Contamination Warnings)

While unwashed glass is 100% acceptable, mixing non-glass materials into your load can ruin entire furnace batches at glass manufacturing mills. Make sure to remove the following items before bringing your load:

• NO Ceramics, Pyrex, or Porcelain: Coffee mugs, plates, and ceramic tiles have a much higher melting point than glass. They form un-melted stones inside furnace glass melt, causing bottle explosions on factory lines.
• NO Window Glass or Mirrors: Flat architectural glass and mirrors contain chemical treatments and cannot be mixed with container glass cullet.
• NO Stones, Rocks, or Dirt Clods: Always store your collected bottles in clean bags or crates off muddy ground.
• Remove Heavy Metal Tops & Corks: While minor foil neck rings are acceptable, large metal screw caps and corks should be popped off where possible.

3. Easy Color-Sorting Guide to Boost Your Rate

Sorting your bottles into three main colors before bringing them to the depot earns you a higher price per kilogram than mixed glass:

1. Amber (Brown): Beer bottles, cider containers, energy drink bottles.
2. Flint (Clear): Soft drink bottles, clear spirit bottles, food jars (jam, mayo).
3. Emerald (Green): Wine bottles, imported lager bottles.

4. Safe Handling & Transport Practices

Glass is heavy and can cause injuries if handled improperly. Follow these safety tips when collecting and transporting glass bottles:

• Wear thick leather gloves and eye protection when handling broken bottles or cullet heaps.
• Use sturdy woven polypropylene bags (suni bags), heavy-duty plastic crates, or drum containers.
• Ensure your vehicle or trailer load is securely tied down before driving to our depot at 72 CB Downes Rd, Mkondeni.