Average glass recycling rates across the European Union remained at 70% in 2012, with the UK behind at 61%, according to the latest figures from the European Container Glass Federation (FEVE).
Published today (April 3), the figures from FEVE the trade association for the European glass industry show that more than 25 billion glass bottles and jars were collected in the EU in 2012.
This equates to more than 12 million tonnes of glass recycled in the EU in 2012, of which around 1.6 million tonnes was recycled in the UK.
This is an increase on 2011 figures when the EU passed the 70% mark for the first time and the EU recycled more than 11 million tonnes of glass (see letsrecycle.com story).
The Member State with the highest glass recycling rate in 2012 was Belgium, which collected 94% of its glass more than 300,000 tonnes for recycling. All Member States reached the EUs 60% recycling target for glass in 2008.
The FEVE data comes ahead of the European Commissions glass recycling figures for 2012, which are expected later this year.
FEVE emphasised what it sees as a success in growing recycling, claiming that between 1990 and 2012, EU consumption of products packaged in glass increased by 39%, but glass recycling increased by 131%. Around 80% of EU consumers regularly recycle their glass bottles, the Federation said.
‘I think from a European point of view it is a positive message that the consumers are still engaged and we are still using the material. But I suppose you could argue that it shows the UK is still behind the EU on average, so there is still work to do in this country.’
Rebecca Cocking, British Glass
This decoupling of industry growth and resource demand, FEVE claims, has helped save 189 million tonnes of raw materials while diverting 139 million tonnes of waste from landfill.
Stefan Jaenecke, president of FEVE, said: Recycling makes good sense for us. Thats why already 40 years ago we helped to put in place glass collection schemes, to inform the public and to treat recycled glass bottles and jars as a precious resource for our industry. We did not call it at that time the circular economy but this is it!
British Glass
Commenting on the latest glass recycling figures, head of container affairs at British Glass – the trade association for the British glass industry – Rebecca Cocking, told letsrecycle.com: I think from a European point of view it is a positive message that the consumers are still engaged and we are still using the material. But I suppose you could argue that it shows the UK is still behind the EU on average, so there is still work to do in this country.
Following Defras announcement last month that glass recycling targets for businesses are being amended this year (see letsrecycle.com story), Ms Cocking also said that prices in the UK were beginning to soften.
She said: At the beginning of the year we were still seeing high prices, but I think it enables the industry to be a bit more strategic rather than to just make sure we were reaching the targets. I believe the prices have softened a little from earlier in the year. The announcement from the Environment Agency that it will not prosecute will also help as I think businesses are still adjusting and there is still some overlap from before. What we would like to see is a sustainable market with a level playing field.
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