What to Look for When Buying a Glass Crusher

24th Dec 2024

We've put together this Glass Crusher buyers guide to help you to navigate the choices available so you choose the right machine for your business.

Everything you need to know

Crushing wine bottles at work Whether you're looking to buy your first glass crushing machine or considering an upgrade of your existing workplace glass recycling equipment, you need to shop carefully. This is because there are several important financial, operational and safety factors that you need to consider when buying a machine to crush glass bottles at a workplace.

What to consider when buying a glass crusher?

Costs

When deciding on your budget for buying a glass crusher, it's worth considering the following factors:

Savings generated: Businesses paying for glass disposal can make significant savings by pre-crushing bottle waste at their own premises prior to collection. To ensure it's a worthwhile investment, compare the potential savings in waste disposal costs compared to the cost of acquisition.
PPE requirements: All operators will need to be supplied with the correct PPE so you'll need to factor in this additional safety equipment into your costings.

Usability

Ease of use is a crucial factor to consider, especially for busy workplaces that accumulate lots of bottle waste. The design of the machine will significantly influence both how much skill is required to operate and maintain it. Overly complicated operating procedures will slow down your operations. Organising for a free trial at your workplace can help you determine whether it'll help rather than hinder your team before you buy.

Machine footprint

In simple terms, do you have enough space to install the equipment? It's likely that your new bottle crushing machine will become a permanent fixture at your premises so it's worthwhile taking the time to think about how much free space you have available. If space is limited back of house, you’ll be glad to know that some glass crushing machines can be installed outside under a canopy. Don't forget that once compacted, you’ll need fewer commercial bins to store your bottle waste.

Machine Efficiency

For businesses with lots of thirsty customers, a crusher that deposits bottles straight into a wheeled glass bin such as the QCR GC140 is by far most efficient choice. This is because small bottle crushers such as the QCR GCO1 has a glass collection tray that must be emptied manually which increases the amount of manual handling involved.

Bottle size

As well as understanding how many bottles you recycle, you also need to take into account the circumference of the bottles you throw away. For example, if your customers drink bottles of champagne, you'll need to check that the empty bottles will fit inside the machine due their larger circumference than a standard wine bottle. In short, if the feed opening of the machine isn’t big enough for all your waste, you won’t get the full benefit of buying this type of recycling equipment.

Machine capacity

Capacity is measured in throughput - the number of bottles that the machine can crush per hour. For many small pubs, restaurants and hotels with low volumes of bottles, a single-feed machine will be sufficient. With this type of machine, bottles are fed into the machine individually by hand. For businesses that have lots of empty bottles, a machine fitted with a large hopper will be more efficient because it has the ability to crush higher volumes.

Your waste collector

The ultimate goal of a glass crusher is to reduce the volume of your bottle waste. Why? Because crushed glass is more efficient to transport to a glass recycling facility and therefore your business benefits from lower collection costs. However, a small number of waste collection companies don’t collect crushed bottles so it’s always better to check with your contractor before you make the switch.

Machine certification

Modern glass crushing machines must adhere to strict safety standards to keep operators safe. Checking that the equipment has certification such as EN ISO 12100-1/2:2010 ensures it has been tested and manufactured to be compliant with the relevant British & EU Directives.

Maintenance & servicing

Before you buy, read the manufacturer's recommended maintenance schedule to find out the tasks that need to actioned to prolong the lifespan of the equipment and ensure it continues to be safe to use. Some machines have filters that need to be replaced regularly to prevent them from getting clogged.

Training

Only trained personnel should operate a glass crusher so find out if the supplier you're proposing to buy from offers training sessions as part of the deal.

What should buyers ask their next supplier?

Buyers should ask sellers about the aftersales support they'll get after delivery. This is because glass crushers have fast moving parts which need a series of daily and annual checks as part of a clearly defined planned maintenance schedule to ensure they're operating efficiently and safely. Any problems identified as part of these checks will need be to addressed quickly to minimise downtime.

Buying the machine is only the start. You need to consider how the supplier can help you in the event of a breakdown by asking about engineer response times and the availability of spare parts. Confirm whether they've been vetted by a recognised supplier scheme such as SafeContractor™ to remove the guesswork out of verifying if they're competent.

Why does long-term support matter when choosing a supplier?

The cheapest glass crusher quote can cost more later if you encounter issues after the delivery vehicle has left your premises. Long-term support matters because bottle crushing equipment requires thorough and ongoing servicing to stay legal and safe to use in accordance with PUWER (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998). This law requires that all glass crushing equipment within a workplace is safe, suitable and properly maintained.

FAQ

Are glass crushing machines a good investment?

Yes, glass crushing machines can be a good investment if your business fills up lots of commercial bins with glass bottles. While they require an upfront cost, they can save businesses money in the long run compared to using traditional glass bins. Plus, if you're interested in the possibility of repurposing your glass bottle waste at your premises, some types can crush bottles into a sand-like texture.

Are glass bottle crushers easy to use?

This depends on the specific model and the training you've been provided with. Low-capacity machines are generally more user-friendly because the bottles are fed into it one by one. Higher-capacity machines require additional loading equipment to lift the full bins of bottles into the hopper, but they can crush more bottles at the same time.

Are glass bottle crushers easy to maintain?

This depends on the specific model and how often it's used. Before performing any maintenance tasks, always ensure the machine is turned off and the power has been disconnected from the power source.

Written by Neil Holland, QCR Recycling Equipment

Neil from QCR Recycling Equipment offers expert insights into the process of glass crushing to help businesses make glass recycling easier and more cost-effective.