What happens if you put Broken glass in the wrong bin?

Never drop loose glass into a bin bag — it cuts through the bag and injures whoever lifts it. Never vacuum large shards; they damage the machine and the fine dust is not caught.

Where do Broken glass go?

Wrap it thickly and put it in general waste, unless it is a broken bottle or jar — those can go in the glass bin.

General waste bin

The material decides the route: a smashed jam jar is still container glass and can go in the bottle bank, while a smashed tumbler, mirror or window is not and cannot. Everything else is about the person who empties the bin — loose shards go through a bag and into a hand, so wrap the pieces in several sheets of newspaper or a cereal box, tape it shut and mark it. Sweep up with stiff card rather than a cloth, and pick up the invisible slivers by pressing damp kitchen paper or bread over the area.

How to prepare it

Sweep with stiff card, not a cloth or a bare hand.
Wrap in newspaper or a taped-up box and write "broken glass" on it.
Press damp kitchen paper over the floor to lift the splinters you cannot see.

What not to do

Never drop loose glass into a bin bag — it cuts through the bag and injures whoever lifts it.
Never vacuum large shards; they damage the machine and the fine dust is not caught.

Kerbside collection rules genuinely vary by council and county, and local rules always win over general guidance. The reasoning above is what transfers — if your service differs, it will usually be for a reason described here.

Other things that go to general waste bin

Used cooking oil Let it cool, seal it in a container, and put it in general waste — or take it to an oil bank.
Polystyrene and foam packaging General waste almost everywhere. It is recyclable in principle and collected almost nowhere.
Incandescent and halogen bulbs General waste, wrapped. They are not recyclable glass and not electrical waste either.
Crisp packets and snack wrappers General waste, or a supermarket soft-plastics bin where one exists. Not the kerbside recycling.
Dried-out paint and empty tins Once the paint is solid, many councils take the tin in general waste or as scrap metal. Check yours, because this one genuinely varies.
Cling film General waste. It is excluded even from soft plastic collections almost everywhere.
Till receipts General waste. Thermal paper is coated, not printed, and it should not go in with paper or compost.
Wet wipes and makeup wipes General waste. Never the toilet, whatever the packet says about flushability.
Dog waste Bagged in general waste, or a dog waste bin. Not the food waste caddy, and not the compost heap.
Nappies General waste, bagged. There is no kerbside recycling route for them anywhere in ordinary use.
Cat litter General waste, bagged. Clay litter is not compostable, and cat faeces carry a parasite that keeps it out of the garden.
Medicine blister packs General waste in most places, or a pharmacy collection scheme where one exists.
Greetings cards with glitter or foil Tear off the plain card and recycle that; the glittery part goes in general waste.
Cigarette butts Put it out completely, then bin it. Filters are cellulose acetate plastic, and a live butt starts bin fires.

Common questions

Where do Broken glass go?: Wrap it thickly and put it in general waste, unless it is a broken bottle or jar — those can go in the glass bin.
What happens if you put Broken glass in the wrong bin?: Never drop loose glass into a bin bag — it cuts through the bag and injures whoever lifts it. Never vacuum large shards; they damage the machine and the fine dust is not caught.

Where do Used cooking oil go? Let it cool, seal it in a container, and put it in general waste — or take it to an oil bank.
Where do Polystyrene and foam packaging go? General waste almost everywhere. It is recyclable in principle and collected almost nowhere.
Where do Incandescent and halogen bulbs go? General waste, wrapped. They are not recyclable glass and not electrical waste either.
Where do Crisp packets and snack wrappers go? General waste, or a supermarket soft-plastics bin where one exists. Not the kerbside recycling.
Where do Dried-out paint and empty tins go? Once the paint is solid, many councils take the tin in general waste or as scrap metal. Check yours, because this one genuinely varies.
Where do Cling film go? General waste. It is excluded even from soft plastic collections almost everywhere.
Where do Household batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V) go? Shop or manufacturer take-back
Where do Lithium-ion batteries go? Shop or manufacturer take-back
Where do Vapes and disposable e-cigarettes go? Shop or manufacturer take-back
Where do Medicines and tablets go? Pharmacy
Where do Pizza boxes go? Kerbside recycling bin
Where do Leftover wet paint go? Household waste recycling centre

Sources

US Environmental Protection Agency — EPA (Public domain (US Government))

How these figures are compiled and checked