At Global Grinders, we stock both glass and PET plastic spice grinders, giving you the benefit of choice. While many believe that all plastic is bad for the environment, there are some types that can actually be considered even more eco-friendly than glass. Both glass and PET have their own benefits however, and ultimately, the choice should come down to which option suits your specific needs, which is better suited to your budget and which bottle you prefer.
To give you more information on what each of these grinder bottles have to offer, keep reading to see how they compare.
Glass Spice Grinders
One of the top benefits of a glass grinder bottle is that it can be reused for many years to come – for spices storage and for other uses as well. Glass is relatively easy to recycle and should never be tossed out with your garbage. Some recycling services require that all glass items are kept separate from other materials however, which means that a bit of sorting is required to separate your glass recycling from cardboard, paper, plastic and other recyclable goods. Another benefit of glass is that it is easier to clean, without any lingering smells or residue sticking to the inside of the bottle. If you buy whole spices often, you may find that a set of glass bottles will be ideal for changing up spices as they run out, with a quick rinse in hot soapy water required to prepare the bottles for the new spices.
Plastic Spice Grinders
It is important to note that not all plastics are equal. The PET (also known as PETE and short for polyethylene terephthalate) is a safe, recyclable material used for food and liquid containers. It is a type of thermoplastic polymer resin within the polyester family. The name may sound somewhat scary and hard to pronounce, but in fact, PET is a non-toxic material that is not only free of harmful chemicals such as BPAs – it is also scientifically proven to be one of the most cost-effective and eco-friendly packaging materials. The US based Allied Development Corporation conducted a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) on PET to determine its environmental footprint compare to other types of packaging, and PET beat out aluminium cans and even glass bottles when manufacturing processes and carbon emissions were compared.
Which Grinder Bottle is Better?
Much like it is hard to compare apples and oranges, it is a bit tricky to compare two very different types of spice bottles. From an ecological point, PET bottles definitely have many benefits that make them easy to recycle and safe to use. With many types of plastic being used with caution, this should give some peace of mind for those wanting an option that is not harmful to the planet.
As they can be reused for a long period of time after purchase, glass spice bottles also offer benefits from a sustainability point of view. If you are buying a salt or pepper grinder or a grinder that you plan to reuse again, then glass is a good choice. If you are buying bottles for less frequently used spices, or you want something more affordable than glass however, PET bottles are just as good an option for your spice grinders.