Close The Glass Loop’s Post

𝐆𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐔 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝟖𝟎.𝟐% The EU average collection of glass packaging for #recycling was 80.2% in 2022, with a record volume of collected #glass. The latest data released by Close The Glass Loop shows that the #EU average collection for recycling rate of glass #packaging remained stable at 80.2% in 2022. Adeline Farrelly, Secretary General of FEVE – the European Container Glass Federation, said: “More glass packaging was collected in 2022 than ever before, reaching a record level of 12.4 million tonnes, representing an increase of about 542,000 tonnes over the previous year. “The increase in volumes of collected glass demonstrates the resilience and commitment of the glass packaging value chain to increase the availability of post-consumer glass for the manufacturing of new glass bottles and jars.” 𝐒𝐞𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: https://lnkd.in/eV6NDAuu #glassindustry #europe #sustainability #closetheglassloop

All packaging is safe and able to protect products 🛒 Packaging safety is not a thing of the past, and consumers are becoming increasingly demanding about it. But ensuring packaging is safe goes beyond its production – and that is where glass packaging stands out. While other materials can degrade during recycling, glass retains its integrity no matter how many times it is recycled. 🔎 Read FEVE – the European Container Glass Federation's #PackagingUnpacked series to learn why not all packaging materials are equally safe for consumers: https://lnkd.in/eEfD66x3

Close The Glass Loop : The EU’s glass value chain sustains a steady 80.2% glass packaging collection rate with record volume of collected glass The latest data released by Close the Glass Loop shows that the EU average collection for recycling rate of glass packaging remained stable at 80.2% in 2022. Notably, the amount of glass collected kept up with the significant increase in the amount of #glasspackaging placed on the market (+4.5%), indicating a positive trend in glass collection efforts across Europe. “More glass packaging was collected in 2022 than ever before, reaching a record level of 12.4 million tonnes, representing an increase of about 542 000 tonnes over the previous year. The increase in volumes of collected glass demonstrates the resilience and commitment of the glass packaging value chain to increase the availability of post-consumer glass for the manufacturing of new glass bottles and jars,” says Adeline Farrelly, Secretary General of FEVE (the European Container Glass Federation) on behalf of Close the Glass Loop partners. To achieve the 90% collection objective by 2030, it is imperative to further promote initiatives in the separate collection of glass packaging from households and the hospitality sector, and support investments that maximise glass recycling outputs towards closed loop glass packaging. The urgency of these measures cannot be overstated, as they are crucial for ensuring a sustainable and effective glass collection and recycling system across Europe. The mobilisation of National Platforms and National Action Plans will be essential to trigger the necessary actions to increase glass collection and recycling in each EU Member State. This year, we are pleased to welcome Romania and the Netherlands as new National Platforms, further strengthening our network and capacity to implement tailored strategies at the national level. Close the Glass Loop is seeking to develop more partnerships across Europe. “To achieve our 90% collection target, Close the Glass Loop national Platforms play a pivotal role,” adds Olivier Deweerdt, Secretary General of #FERVER (European Federation of #GlassRecyclers) on behalf of #ClosetheGlassLoop partners. “The exchange of best practices and support for projects and activities at the national level are vital for increasing and improving glass collection for recycling. This will be reflected in our upcoming 2025-2030 Close the Glass Loop Action Plan.” https://lnkd.in/eCP-dS_P #emballage #verre #emballageenverre

Paper, Glass & Carton Trade Associations Rally Against Commingled Recycling 📢    The Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI), British Glass, and ACE UK have united to urge Defra to reconsider its decision to allow commingled collections of paper, card, glass, and liquid cartons under the Simpler Recycling proposal.    The associations warn that mixing these materials will reduce the quality of recyclables, increase contamination, and harm the UK’s recycling rates.    They advocate for separate collections to improve recyclate quality, lower costs, and support the transition to a zero-waste, circular economy.   For the full press release, follow this link - https://lnkd.in/eHBmMiV9   #Sustainability #CircularEconomy #Recycling

Glass is well known in the industry as both easy and challenging to recycling – easy from a technical sense and challenging logistically. That was recently highlighted by multiple developments in western Washington. End markets, especially for bottle-to-bottle applications, are limited and sometimes unstable. When glass packaging giant Ardagh Group idled its Seattle container plant earlier this year, the ripple effects were felt throughout the region. Strategic Materials temporarily scaled back the amount of uncontracted volumes it accepted, and several neighboring cities suspended glass recycling programs.  The city of Seattle said in a press release that the closure “created unprecedented challenges for glass recycling in Seattle and neighboring jurisdictions.” The city is sponsoring a Glass Recycling Roundtable to develop short- and long-term solutions, supporting innovation and collaboration around alternative uses and end markets, and is working with Strategic Materials. Read more about the roundtable below. https://lnkd.in/gTMd9qWs

I appreciate this article and that this is being discussed. Material Recovery Facilities need feasible solutions for glass recycling. There has been a growing laser focus on pushing plastic manufacturers to become more sustainable, and glass has gotten a free pass, often receiving inaccurate praise for being a better environmental solution. Currently, glass is more difficult to process and has minimal recycling opportunities unless facilities make significant personal investments with little return potential. I'm not stating that there isn't work to be done in both sectors, but the first step is recognizing the issue.

Did you know there are three sources of recycling flat glass cullet ? 🏭Internal cullet : production yield losses at the glass production site, 🟩Pre-consumer cullet : cutting losses of flat glass panes occurring during the pre-processing and defective products at customers’ sites . 🟩Post-consumer cullet : flat glass waste generated at the end of life of the glazing product. 👉In 2023, about 118,000 tonnes of the remelted cullet at AGC came from the pre- and post-consumer route. ♻️More on glass recycling at AGC Glass Europe on https://lnkd.in/e7M5YPNM 👉Float cutting losses are usually uncontaminated and can return directly to the flat glass production. Product waste occuring after processing or at the end of life needs to be treated first by a flat glass recycler - that extracts the cullet from other materials - to send the cullet back to float production. 👉To address this issue, AGC launched Recycle Glass , a program for delivering flat glass circularity . ♻️More on AGC's Recycle glass service on https://lnkd.in/etYTFiyv #agcglass #flatglass #recycling #circulareconomy

SHARING OUR SUSTAINABILITY INSIGHTS IN ‘GLASS INTERNATIONAL’   As an international leader in batch and cullet handling technology, we at EME are happy to share our expertise and advances with industry peers.   We are delighted to say the June edition of the highly respected ‘Glass International’ magazine includes an article by EME sales director Dr. Sebastian Woltz.   Entitled “Flexible cullet treatment solutions”, the article presents an overview of the challenges facing glassmakers when sourcing cullet and explores solutions to the problems. Sustainability is paramount for all glass producers, not only for the cost savings but also for brand reputation. The use of recycled glass cullet is a key consideration, as glass can be recycled indefinitely without any loss in quality or purity.   Learn more about EME here and take a closer look at ‘Glass International’ here.   #Sustainability #EME #SORGgroup #CulletTreatmentSolutions #CulletReturnSystem

Last week, we examined how each country performs in terms of glass exports for recycling, as detailed in our research, “Exports for Recycling of Glass Packaging.” This week, we’ll go a step further and examine whether there is manufacturing capacity for container glass in these countries and how this correlates with their local recycling efforts 🌍🔍.   Are there any results that surprise you? Share your thoughts in the comments below! 💬   Discover our brand-new study “Exports for Recycling of Glass Packaging” here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eJwAaAss 🔗   #CloseTheGlassLoop #CircularEconomy #GlassPackaging #GlassExports #GlassRecycling

This month, GRC is highlighting the importance of Georgia's robust recycling industry to our state's economy and environment. As the largest glass recycler in North America, Strategic Materials, Inc., continues to increase the recovery of glass in Georgia and across the US. In 2023, SMI expanded its glass collection program into Georgia. Currently, there are 20+ new Ripple Glass drop-off bins located across the Atlanta metro area with more collection sites coming in 2024. SMI recycles an impressive 10,000 tons of glass per month in Georgia and has been processing glass in our state for more than 30 years. In addition to employing 47 people in Georgia, Strategic Materials further supports Georgia's economy by providing recycled glass as a feedstock to other Georgia manufacturers. For example, SMI sends some of its recycled glass to the Owens Corning plant in Fairburn, where it is ultimately made into new fiberglass insulation. Recycled glass is also sent to local manufacturers to make new glass bottles. Each time you recycle a bottle, you support jobs, our economy, and provide feedstocks to Georgia companies that rely on your bottles to make their products. It is just one more reason to recycle more in '24! Recycle. Our businesses depend on it. #recyclemorein24 #recyclerightga #thetruerealrecycling