2nd Glass for Europe workshop on flat glass recycling

Glass for Europe’s workshops provide a forum to glass and glazing national associations and flat glass manufacturers to discuss topics of high interest for the flat glass sector.

As for the previous workshop, which took place in February, 3 speakers presented 3 national cases:

• Emilie Butaye, Head of Sustainability at InDUfed presented “Flat glass recycling in Belgium”
• Piotr Kardas, Secretary General of Polish Glass presented “Flat glass recycling in Poland”
• Paul Pearcy, Environment, Health and Safety Adviser at British Glass presented “Flat glass recycling in the UK”

What are the main barriers to end-of-life building glass recycling? In some cases, end-of-life building glass is mixed with other buildings materials and end up in landfills. This in mainly due to a lack of education and of legal incentives. In other cases, when the collection takes place, the glass waste is no reused in flat glass making which requires the highest quality cullet.

Most of the flat glass products used in buildings could be dismantled, collected and recycled in glass furnaces. In several EU Member States, the flat glass sector is actively promoting projects to ensure that flat glass from building demolition and deconstruction is reintroduced into flat glass furnaces.