According to the latest glass recycling industry data - published by the European Container Glass Federation (FEVE) - the average glass recycling rate in the European Union has risen above the 70% threshold for the first time. This means that over 11 million tons were collected throughout the European Union in 2011.
This achievement follows major efforts made in all EU Member States over the past few years to meet the EU's 60% recycling target for glass, a level that was reached by all the relevant countries by 2008. Some of them recorded particularly outstanding results. The UK continues to make steady, if more modest progress at just over 60%. Other countries are in good shape to meet the target within the later fixed deadlines, while for some there is still potential to improve (2) .
All participants in the glass closed loop have contributed to these good results. On the one hand, the glass industry has designed, manufactured and marketed containers to be effectively recycled in a closed loop system. They have also effectively communicated good recycling practices to consumers. On the other hand, collection and processing schemes have also been extended and progressively improved, while the public has also been made aware of the importance of collecting more glass and better. Used glass bottles are a precious resource and should be properly collected through separate streams.
“We have no problems in absorbing more recycled glass provided that this is of high quality. Glass recycling is the key component of the circular economy - because recycling closes the loop." says Stefan Jaenecke, President of FEVE "Glass recycling saves raw materials and energy and reduces production costs.”
Made of natural minerals abundant in nature - sand, soda-ash and limestone - glass is a 100% recyclable material, manufactured in a one step process under one roof. Each time a bottle or jar is recycled into new containers, energy and raw materials are saved and less CO2 is emitted. Eighty per cent of glass collected for recycling is used over and over again to produce new glass bottles in the closed loop system. By recycling glass, in 2011 in the EU (3) :
* Over 12 million tons of raw materials (sand, soda ash, limestone) were saved.
* Over 7 million tons of CO2 were avoided equal to taking 4 million cars off the road.
* A saving of 2.5% energy for each 10% of glass recycled in the furnace.
Commenting on the latest figures, Rebecca Cocking, Head of Container Affairs at British Glass said: "We're fully committed to working in partnership with all those along the supply chain to help make glass in landfill sites a thing of the past and to ensure that recycled glass is sent to applications with positive environmental benefit such as back into new bottles and jars. We also continue to highlight the benefits of recycling glass to the consumer via the our participation in the successful Friends of Glass movement, which now has some 33,000 supporters, plus over 40,000 Facebook fans and 7,200 Twitter followers".
