We know that consumers love glass (according to a survey by the Food Packaging Forum, 85% of Europeans are happy to recommend glass packaging to friends and family, indicating a high level of trust in its safety and quality), but do people know how it’s recycled?
Much of the appreciation for glass packaging comes from its traditional appeal, its sustainable characteristics and its practicality for keeping food, drinks and personal care products safe and sound. Consumers are already comfortable with the sustainability of glass, with glass recycling levels in Europe reaching over 80%, with collection systems, public awareness, and infrastructure all improving year on year.
But what actually happens when these responsible consumers put their glass packaging in the recycling collection? Of course, there’s a possible step before that even happens, with the reuse of glass packaging a popular topic for us here at Pont. You can find all sorts of second life uses for your glass bottles, jars and containers, including keeping trinkets safe, storing leftovers in the fridge (not for too long…) and for gifting homemade pickles and preserves.
If you really don’t have a purpose to reuse your glass packaging, putting it into your local collection point is the next best thing. From there, it gets taken from the bottle banks, on-street recycling collections, wheelie bins, or deposit return systems. In some European countries, consumers are asked to separate glass by colour – green, brown or clear – for efficient recycling, and in others, all glass can be put in the same collection.
Once the glass arrives at the local sorting facilities, the glass is cleaned and any potential contaminants, like labels or closures, are removed. The glass is then crushed into little pieces, which is called cullet, and it melts at a lower temperature. Cullet is mixed with silica, soda ash, and limestone to create new glass products.
The new glass products can be made with a mix of cullet and ‘new’ glass, with recycled glass maintaining its quality indefinitely, meaning it can be endlessly reused and recycled. The cullet is melted and reshaped into new glass products and packaging, with this needing fewer raw materials, using lower energy consumption, and reducing CO2 emissions.
Did you know that Pont’s commitment to sustainability means we use cullet across our glass packaging portfolio? Our amber glass typically contains around 45% recycled content, with our traditional white flint generally including around 30%. With the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD) promoting higher recycling rates and mandating member states to recycle at least 75% of all glass packaging by 2030, choosing Pont for your glass packaging helps you take an easy step forward towards a circular economy.
