The provided diagram illustrates the cyclical process of recycling glass bottles, which involves three distinct stages of collection, cleaning or manufacturing, and distribution.
Overall, the process is a closed-loop system that begins with consumers and ends with the return of new products to supermarkets. The cycle can follow two paths: one where bottles are cleaned and reused, and another where glass is melted down to create new containers.
In the first stage, customers return used bottles to a collection point, from where they are transported to a cleaning plant. At this facility, the bottles are washed using high-pressurised water. Alternatively, glass can be sent to a factory, where green, brown, and clear glass are broken into pieces. These pieces are then heated in a furnace to create liquid glass, which is subsequently poured into moulds to form new bottles.
Finally, in stage three, the processed or newly manufactured bottles are filled and packed before being distributed to supermarkets. From there, the bottles are purchased by customers, completing the cycle as they are eventually returned for recycling once again.