The report, Recycled Glass Market Study and Standards Review, produced by environmental consultants Enviros, includes figures, market analyses and recommendations for WRAP’s glass programme.
It recommends that WRAP should support the development of standards for the use of mixed glass in alternative markets such as road construction, concrete production, water filtration, glass fibre insulation and general fill.
In a statement, WRAP explained that it commissioned the report in preparation for predicted high future recycling targets. “With the current review of the EU Packaging Waste Directive proposing a material specific recycling target of 60% for glass by 2006, the UK may need to improve its performance,” it said. The UK currently recycles around 23% of total glass arisings.
The report also estimates that the industry needs an extra 920,000 tonnes of recovered glass per year. This echoes concerns voiced earlier this week by container glass manufacturers over the shortage of used glass in the UK after the director general of British Glass sent a letter to all UK councils arguing against the use of glass for road aggregates.
Recycled Glass Market Study and Standards Review is available at www.wrap.org.uk/reports.asp
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