The two barriers are listed in a set of constraints in a consultation paper produced by the Waste and Resources Action Programme.
WRAP finds that glass recycling is also limited because local authorities are finding difficulty in identifying suitable sites for bring banks and securing public acceptance for them. This is seen as a “major restraint given that LA collections of glass need to be doubled.”
The document touches on the green cullet situation, describing the import of wine in green bottles as a “perverse” trade flow, but it does not expand on the current situation where more green glass is now going into the aggregates sector. Instead, WRAP deems that there is still an over supply of green cullet.
Among its recommendations are that there should be a reduction in imports of wine in green glass and WRAP may offer funds to help pilot putting the wine into clear or other colour bottles.
It also recommends that a research and development and business support programme is developed for both alternative high volume and high value uses of glass cullet, with emphasis on use of green cullet and mixed-colour glass and higher volume applications that will use more material. Also tailored to encourage new ventures in high value alternative uses of glass, such as architectural and decorative uses.
Targets
WRAP suggests a number of targets for achievement in 2003 and 2004 and these include:
35% recycling target for municipal waste glass by end 2004.
Assuming a total glass packaging flow of 2.2 million tonnes pa, this would require the recovery of 770,000 tonnes of glass packaging per annum. This is 270,000 tonnes more than was achieved in 1999
Aim to secure an additional 350,000 tonnes of glass from all sources for recycling, including the expansion of collection of commercial glass (from pubs, clubs etc) to reach 100,000 tonnes (from current 40,000t) by end 2004.
Develop new end use markets (outside the container glass and aggregates sectors) to absorb 100,000 tonnes of green and possibly mixed-colour glass by end-2004. These applications will probably include: abrasive blasting, filtration media for the water industry, fibre glass insulation etc.
Comments on the glass consultation document are invited by February 16 and should be sent to Ray Georgeson, policy director, WRAP, 8th Floor, 43 Marsham Street, London SW1P 3PY, tel: 020 7944 8861, fax: 020 7944 8864, email: WRAP policy
Further details are also available at the WRAP website.
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