British Glass releases roadmap to closed loop glass recycling

“A Roadmap to Closed Loop Glass Recycling” outlines a path to achieving a 90% recycling rate for glass by 2030.  

The roadmap emphasises the need to improve both the quality and quantity of glass collected and advocates for two-stream recycling systems, further public awareness initiatives and an alignment with future policy such as Simpler Recycling.  

WRAP and British Glass said that they have used the latest available glass data for the UK, including composition by stream, exports and PRN returns.  

The report also revealed the highest and lowest performing local authorities in terms of household glass collection, highlighting those that do not currently collect glass at kerbside. 

The updated report also provides actionable insights into optimising collection and sorting processes, ensuring that more glass is recycled back into new glass packaging.  

Nick Kirk, technical director at British Glass, stated: “The updated roadmap is a significant step forward in our mission to transform the UK’s glass recycling infrastructure.  

“By implementing the recommendations on the collection of glass as outlined in this report, we can move closer to a true circular economy of glass, ensuring that more glass packaging is not only recycled but reprocessed into new glass packaging here in the UK.  

“We look forward to supporting the waste collection sector in collecting more good quality glass, to continue the increase in the recycled content of UK manufactured glass packaging.”

UK glass recycling rates 

The UK glass recycling rate is currently just under 75% and British Glass has said that “improvements can still be made to capture more glass at high quality levels”.  

In particular, the association has pointed to The Welsh Collection Blueprint as “an example of good practice”. 92% of glass disposed at home in Wales is placed in the recycling box according to 2023 figures.