Plan For Lower Emissions, More Effective, And Cheaper Glass Recycling

The Glass Packaging Forum (GPF) has unveiled a plan to improve glass recycling which is cheaper and more convenient for consumers than the proposed container return scheme (CRS), and better for the environment with less than half the emissions of the status quo or the CRS.

The GPF’s Scheme Manager Dominic Salmon says the proposal, commissioned from independent consultants Grant Thornton, could achieve an 87% recycling rate within 5 years.

“We already have a high recovery rate for glass bottles and jars in New Zealand but we can get it to 90% or more with 87% of that recycled within five years, through a fully industry funded Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme which has industry on board,” he says.

Grant Thornton’s report says the scheme will cost consumers just under half the cost of a CRS on a 12 pack of beer, at most 67.7c per 12 pack of beer compared with $1.43 for the proposed CRS. It also enhances the existing kerbside system for both bottles and jars, saving consumers from transporting their bottles to a supermarket for recycling as proposed by the CRS.

The report’s lead author Michael Worth said their work was guided by circular economy principles.

“We aimed to design a scheme which prioritises the most circular outcomes for glass and the best emissions profile. Despite aiming to collect more glass, our modelling of the proposed CRS showed reductions in the quality of glass which could end up recycling less glass back into bottles, the key circularity measure,” he says.

Dominic says the GPF has consistently requested glass be excluded from any CRS in New Zealand because it’s not the best way to increase its recovery and recycling rate. “The proposed CRS was designed as a one-size-fits-all solution. We believe glass requires a different approach and Grant Thornton’s work reiterates that with far lower emissions,” he says.

In other countries such as England and Northern Ireland, glass is being excluded from container return schemes (also known as bottle return schemes) and will be managed through an EPR scheme instead due to the impact on emissions, he says. “Many European countries achieve high recovery and recycling rates for glass through industry-funded schemes, such as the one we are proposing, so it’s a proven concept.”

The report has been submitted to Government for feedback, Dominic says. “It is a valuable contribution to the conversation on improving New Zealand's glass recovery and recycling rates while reducing emissions. We urge the Minister for the Environment 

Established in 2006, the Glass Packaging Forum (GPF) is part of The Packaging Forum which is dedicated to developing product stewardship across packaging materials and the packaging supply chain. The GPF meets its objectives through the management of its independent, accredited product stewardship scheme.

A primary function of the GPF is to ensure that as much waste container glass (bottles and jars) as possible is diverted from landfill. This is done through the provision of infrastructure to improve glass recovery and facilitate glass recycling and through research of alternative uses for waste glass. These activities are supported by a comprehensive consumer awareness programme.

The GPF is funded through its membership which pay a voluntary levy related directly to the volume of glass each sells into the New Zealand marketplace.

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