The latest industry data on glass recycling suggests that Europe recycled an impressive 12 million tonnes of glass packaging last year..
Sourced through Scoop.it from: ciwm-journal.co.uk
The latest industry data on glass recycling suggests that Europe recycled an impressive 12 million tonnes of glass packaging last year. This included the usual culprits like bottles & glass jars as well as more uncommon glass products like windshields and home window.
Overall the combined efforts of the EU 28 states equate to a 74% recycling rate!
This date is actually from 2016 but 2017 & 2018 are actually expected to be higher.
Glass is still the best performing food grade material on the recycling fly wheel, according to the European Glass Container Federation.
More generally the EU has committed to goals on municipal waste reduction as well as glass packaging recycling.
This means that separate collections will need to resume again as in previous years, this is aimed at engaging consumers as well as the municipalities themselves.
New schemes and initiative are needed as it is thought that the impressive 74% recycling rate figure hides problems that exist from state to state.
Adeline Farrelly, FEVE Secretary general suggests that tailored solutions will be required in order to separate glass packaging recycling from other materials like metal foil laminate packaging.
Performance differs drastically from country to country. At the top of the league in the 90% percentile are countries like Belgium, Finland, Austria & Sweden.
These countries have the separate & secondary collection schemes whereby glass packaging is not just collected to hit a target but to provide valuable raw materials for industrial packaging companies and suppliers.
At the other end of the table are countries like Greece, Hungary, Malta & Romania where there isn’t really a collection or recycling culture. There is much potential for growth here though.
FEVE has been quoted as saying that each country is different and will require a bespoke solution to move forward and put glass packaging recycling at the top of the agenda.