The most efficient method of recycling glass is through a process where it is not contaminated with any other materials. When glass is mixed in with single-stream recycling, it can break during collection, transport and processing. This makes it difficult to separate from other materials and achieve successful recycling.
Oftentimes, the quality of glass from a materials recovery facility (MRF), cannot be recycled into new glass containers, and is reused for alternative daily cover (ADC) instead. ADC refers to the use of a material other than soil as a daily cover for a landfill, which is required by federal regulations to improve health and safety around a landfill.