How can your frameless shower door impact the environment? The rest of your home is eco-friendly, and you want to extend the green theme into the bathroom. If you're ready to remodel, take a look at what you need to know about showers, the environment, demolition and renovation projects, and frameless glass doors.

Should You Recycle the Old Doors?

Your current shower has old, dated doors. You're ready to upgrade. But you don't want to toss the glass into the trash. Americans throw out millions of tons of glass each year. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in 2018 U.S. households and businesses generated 12.3 million tons of glass product municipal solid waste (or MSW). Just over three million of the 12.3 million tons were recycled.

If you want to reduce waste but aren't sure what to do with your doors, the first step is to learn more about what you can and can't recycle. Even though you can recycle some glass products, it's not likely your municipal refuse removal company will take the doors for this purpose. Unlike glass soda bottles, containers, and other food-grade products, glass shower doors may not break down in the same way. 

Glass bottles and similar items easily shatter when broken or damaged. Glass shower doors have a much higher degree of durability because of the type of glass used. Most shower doors are made from tempered glass, which is made using a special heating and cooling process. The different chemical composition of glass shower doors makes it unrecyclable in many areas.

Can You Upcycle Your Glass Doors?

Instead of recycling, consider upcycling the old glass shower doors. Talk to a custom glass contractor about the possibility of using the doors in a new project. It's possible the contractor can upcycle the glass and turn it into shelving, glass panels, or cabinet doors, depending on the type of glass and condition. This can add to the overall eco-friendly design of your new bathroom. 

Should You Get New Glass Shower Doors?

If shower glass usually isn't recyclable, should you install new doors as part of a green bathroom renovation project? Even though you can't recycle the glass, it's still an eco-friendly option-especially if you choose a frameless enclosure.

A traditional shower curtain and rod setup may seem like an easy (and inexpensive) option. But this isn't the best choice for your eco-friendly home. Vinyl and some other synthetic shower curtains may contain potentially hazardous chemicals known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic curtains and liners aren't environmentally friendly and can release VOCs, causing an odd smell, nausea, headaches, and other physical symptoms. 

While you could choose eco-conscious cloth options, a frameless glass enclosure is a more permanent solution. Not only will glass provide you with a way to avoid PVCs, it's likely to last longer than a cloth or plastic shower curtain, meaning your home won't generate as much waste. 

Can New Glass Doors Help You To Save Water?

An eco-friendly bathroom design includes more than just lower-waste and chemical-free components. It should also help your household to save water. Shower use makes up 17 percent of the average American household's indoor water use, according to the EPA. An old, poorly fitted glass and frame door or a stall and curtain type of design may allow water to seep out of the bottom or sides of the shower. 

The more water that gets out of the shower, the more you'll need. Instead of wasting water, consider a frameless glass enclosure. These doors have a tight fit and can stop the spill-over from your shower.



Do you need custom glass shower doors or a frameless enclosure? Contact Monterey Glass Specialists Inc. for more information.