Free trade collection of scrap uPVC from five UK hubs Call 0330 043 5543 · Mon–Fri 6am – 6pm · Sat 6am – 2pm
upvcrecycling

Glass skip hire and trade glass recycling

Our glass recycling runs separately from our uPVC service. We supply skips and containers for float glass, glazing offcuts and sealed units, and collect from glaziers, fabricators, demolition contractors and councils the same week anywhere in the UK.

Order a skip

What's offered

  • Float glass & glazing offcuts
  • Sealed units (intact & misted)
  • Dedicated glass-only skips
  • 16 yard skips, or RoRo where needed
  • Site, yard, or private land placement
  • Electronic waste transfer notes (eWTN)

What glass we take

We only take float glass and sealed units, which keeps the cullet free of contamination and gets you a better rate. For anything else, call us first and we can often route it for you.

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What we accept

  • Float & plate glassWindow panes, glazing offcuts, conservatory glass, shopfront glass, mirrors (un-backed), greenhouse glass.
  • Intact sealed units (IGUs)Double and triple-glazed units, any size, any age.
  • Failed or misted sealed unitsBlown units, failed seals or condensation between the panes.
  • Glazing manufacturing offcutsTrim and cut waste from glass cutting and sealed unit manufacturing.
  • Conservatory glazingRoof glass and side panels. Polycarbonate goes separately, so call to confirm.
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Not as standard

  • Toughened & laminated glassThese need a different reprocessing route.
  • Automotive glass and windscreensSpecialist automotive glass recyclers handle these.
  • Container glassBottles, jars and food packaging. Use kerbside or commercial bottle bank routes.
  • Pyrex & ceramicsThey melt at different temperatures and contaminate the cullet. Keep them separate.
  • Light bulbs & CRTThese are hazardous waste and need a WEEE-licensed contractor.

Skip sizes

Glass goes in 16 yard skips, or a roll-on roll-off container where the job needs one.

16yd
Glass skip
Our glass skip for installers, glaziers, fabrication units and council or housing jobs. Float glass and sealed units go in separate skips.
RoRo
Where the job needs one
A roll-on roll-off container with scheduled emptying, for demolition, large refurbishments and big programmes.

What happens to the glass

None of it goes to landfill, and all of it is reprocessed in the UK.

Collection & transit

Our vehicles collect under our waste carrier licence, with float glass and sealed units kept separate. The eWTN is raised at pickup.

Sorting & separation

At our yard we split sealed units and take off the spacer bar, which is usually aluminium and goes for metal recycling. The glass is graded by type.

Processing

Float glass is broken down into cullet, graded by clarity and checked for contamination, then sent to UK reprocessors.

Where it ends up

Cullet goes back into UK glazing manufacture, glass fibre or aggregate for construction.

Who uses the glass service

Glass & sealed unit fabricators

We take manufacturing offcuts, factory rejects and returned units, with containers on standing orders emptied weekly or fortnightly.

Demolition & strip-out contractors

For strip-outs with a lot of glass, we leave a container on site for the job and take it away when it's full.

Window installation companies

We take sealed units removed on jobs, glazing offcuts and glass broken during fitting. Book job by job or set up regular collections.

Councils & housing associations

Glazing replacement programmes across housing stock. We provide full paperwork for procurement and environmental returns.

Skip hire companies

Send glass-heavy loads to us instead of mixing them in, and pay less at the gate.

Common questions

What types of glass do you accept?
Float and plate glass (window panes, glazing offcuts, mirrors, shopfront and conservatory glass) and double or triple-glazed sealed units (IGUs), including failed or misted ones. We don't take toughened, laminated, automotive or container glass without arranging it first, so call us if you have any of those.
Do you take failed or misted double-glazed units?
Yes. Failed units are recycled the same way as intact ones. We get hundreds a week from installers doing warranty replacements.
Do you supply the skips and containers?
Yes. We use our own glass-only containers, so the load stays clean and there's no third-party hire charge in the price. We use 16 yard skips, or a roll-on roll-off container where the job needs one.
Can I put broken glass in the skip?
Yes. Broken float glass and offcuts are fine. Just keep ceramics, Pyrex and toughened or laminated glass out. They contaminate the cullet and cost us at the reprocessor.
How do I dispose of old glass panes?
Book a glass skip or a collection. Glass goes in our own glass-only 16 yard skips, or a roll-on roll-off where needed, with float glass and sealed units kept apart so they can be recycled.
How quickly can you place a skip?
Usually same or next working day across the North West, Liverpool, North Wales, the Midlands and Yorkshire, near our hubs. 2–3 working days for the rest of the UK depending on container size and where you are.
Do I need a permit to put a container on the road?
If the container sits on a public road, yes. Council skip permits are usually £30–80 a week. On private land (your yard, a driveway, behind a site fence) you don't need one. We can advise for your council area.
Do you provide waste transfer notes for glass?
Yes. We email an eWTN to your nominated contact within 24 hours of every collection. This satisfies your Section 34 Duty of Care obligation under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
What happens to the glass after collection?
We sort it at our yard and send it to UK reprocessors. It usually ends up as cullet for new glazing, glass fibre or construction aggregate.

More answers on the FAQ page.

Book a glass collection

Call 0330 043 5543 or send an enquiry with your postcode and roughly what you have. Photos help us price it.

Call 0330 043 5543 Send an enquiry