GLASS FEATURE
The glass is always greener
IT might at first seem that glass is an odd material to think of as being ecologically friendly. After all, the material itself is very stable and takes thousands of years to biodegrade.
Yet glass also has a considerable number of key advantages which make it ideal as a recyclable material and an essential part of a bigger strategy for a more sustainable future.
We spoke to Phillip Fenton from British Glass to find out more about what the future has in store for glass recycling.
Hello Phillip. Can you begin by telling us exactly what makes glass such a good material for recycling?
Absolutely. First and foremost, glass is endlessly recyclable. It can be melted down and reused again and again with no by-product and no loss in quality. The first bottle banks were introduced to the UK in the late 70s and glass that was recycled back then will still be in circulation today.
As well as that, it is inert, it has a huge number of applications, and it is both cheaper and takes less energy to melt recycled glass than to melt virgin raw materials to turn them into new glass. This means that recycling is a win-win for everybody.
We certainly think it is the most sustainable packing material, and surveys
Green glass is actually the most ecological type of glass because it has an average of 60% recycled content but can be up to 90%. Compare that to the average 30% for clear glass."
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from FEVE (the European Container Glass Federation) have shown that glass is the packaging of choice for 9 out of 10 consumers.
So the UK glass industry is actively involved in the Government’s plans to decarbonise?
We certainly are. We recognise that we’re in a climate crisis and, like every sector, we need to play our part in creating a net- zero carbon economy.
The furnaces for making or re-melting glass is where the carbon emissions are produced in the glass production chain. So, many innovations and improvements are currently being made in furnace technology across Europe to ensure they are as energy-efficient as possible, for example, being powered by renewable sources of energy. This, as well as driving the recycling rate of glass, will be hugely important in helping us reach our targets.
Are we big importers or exporters of glass in the UK?
In general, there is a very high demand for cullet – recycled glass – in the UK, and domestic supply often doesn’t meet demand. But to say any more, we really need to separate out the various different types of glass – which is to say, the colour.
There is a big imbalance here because, for example, clear glass requires clear cullet,
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