In addition to the marked increase in recycled content used, WRAP added that it had reduced the weight of wine bottles by 27,048 tonnes over the course of the project – saving around 35,000 tonnes of CO2 each year.
Commenting on the GlassRite project, Nicola Jenkin, responsible for the drinks category at WRAP, said: “We know from our previous projects that huge opportunities continue to exist to use more lighter weight bottles and increase the use of recycled content in UK manufactured glass bottles – by bulk importing wine into the country. This is what will achieve a more resource efficient international wine supply chain.”
The research is set to be published in full on the WRAP website next week.
Wine sector
Under the second phase of the GlassRite project, WRAP worked with manufacturers, distributors and suppliers across the international wine market to assess areas where waste or unnecessary waste could be prevented.
Ms Jenkin said: “This second phase of the project has been about engaging with both the UK and international wine sector to identify barriers and opportunities for positive change, and to act as the catalyst to support this change.”
In addition, Ms Jenkin highlighted work undertaken by the industry to increase lightweighting of material. She pointed to glass manufacturer Quinn Glass, which launched a 300g bottle in September 2009 (see letsrecycle.com story).
She said: “If the bottle was adopted for all wine sold in the UK it would generate an annual glass saving of 153,000 tonnes – equivalent to the weight of more than 460 jumbo jets – and cut CO2 emissions by 119,000 tonnes.
Furthermore, Ms Jenkin said that work on lightweighting sparkling wine bottles suggested that internationally, almost 175,000 tonnes of glass savings could be made through using lighter weight bottles that are still fit for purpose.
Register for free to comment