RESEARCH NEWS: Glass packaging best for the environment

FEVE - the European Container Glass Federation recently released statistics that several EU countries reached a 60% collection recycling rate that was fixed by the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive in 2008. According to the news release, close to 100% of glass bottles and jars put onto the market in Belgium and Sweden were collected, "making the vision of a zero waste packaging material an ambitious objective."
Further, FEVE provided data that recycling glass preserves natural resources and saves energy. When you're considering products and their packaging, this is important to note - further, spread the knowledge to your consumers. In fact, according to the FEVE news release, "If given the choice, a big majority of (EU) consumers (about 74%) state they would prefer glass packed products in almost all food and beverage categories."
In your next daily or weekly newsletter, consider polling your customers and ask what they'd prefer, in terms of packaging.

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COLLECTION OF GLASS PACKAGING FOR RECYCLING STEADILY INCREASES IN EUROPE

In 2008, an estimated 25.5 billion glass bottles and jars (1) whistled Hank’s
refrain “I’ll be back” (2) as they were dropped into bottle banks ready to be
recycled. This corresponds to an average collection recycling rate of 65%
for the EU27 countries (3) and nearly 11.5 million tonnes of glass packaging
collected all over Europe (including Norway, Switzerland and Turkey).

“This data confirms the clear positive trend over the last year when, thanks
to the collaboration of citizens, a number of EU countries have reached the
ambitious 60% collection target fixed by the EU Packaging and Packaging
Waste Directive,” says Dominique Tombeur, President of FEVE – the EU
association for container glass. In countries like Austria, Denmark, Finland,
Ireland and Spain efforts were made to further increase the already good
results, while the Czech Republic and Slovakia saw a steady improvement
in the Eastern Region where collection and recycling systems can still be
enhanced.

In Belgium and Sweden close to 100% of glass bottles and jars put on the
market were collected, making the vision of a zero waste packaging
material an ambitious objective which, to be realized, has to rely on the
strong cooperation of all stakeholders starting from the citizens, the policy
makers and the industry.

At EU level, taking the EU15 countries as a reference, national consumption
increased by 8% over the last ten years while glass packaging waste
destined to other uses and to landfill decreased by 26%, showing a clear
decoupling between consumption and recycling.

Thanks to the proven and longstanding closed loop bottle‐to‐bottle
recycling system, recycled glass stands out as real renewable material. As
Hank tells in his now famous refrain, glass packaging is 100% and endlessly
recyclable: it always comes back to life in a new bottle or jar without any
loss of quality. This means that, when glass reaches its ‘end of life’, most
glass bottles or jars go back to the production cycle as substitutes for raw
materials in a unique “cradle‐to‐cradle” recycling loop.

“The results reached in glass collection for recycling prove that glass
packaging is a fully sustainable resource” says Dominique Tombeur. Unlike
other materials a very high rate of collected glass is actually recycled in a
new production cycle with an extremely positive impact on depletion of
raw material savings, energy savings and emissions saving.”

Glass is best for environment

Recycling glass preserves natural resources: 1 tonne of recycled glass saves
1.2 tonnes of natural raw materials. And recycling glass saves energy too:
for every 10% of recycled glass added in the production cycle, about 3% of
energy is saved.

Consumers know about the environmental benefits of glass. When asked,
86% of consumers say they recycle their glass bottles and jars. If given the
choice, a big majority of consumers (about 74%) state they would prefer
glass packed products in almost all food and beverage categories. Made
from some of the most abundant raw materials in nature – sand, soda ash
and limestone – consumers also appreciate glass for its ability to preserve
original taste and its impermeability, making it one of the safest and
healthiest ways to store products with the least harmful impact on the
environment.

Source: FEVE