Europe’s glass collection rate on steady progress

Brussels | The EU average collection of glass packaging for recycling was 80.1% in 2021, according to the latest data released in July by Close the Glass Loop, an industry action platform to unite the glass collection and recycling value chain.

The multi-stakeholder partnership Close the Glass Loop aims to reach a post-consumer glass container collection target of 90% by 2030, and to ensure that this is recycled back into the container glass production loop. The vast majority of the almost 12 million tonnes collected goes back to remelt new bottles and jars. According to the study on the “Performance of Packaging Glass Recycling in Europe” (which is available from https://closetheglassloop.eu, 91% of glass packaging waste is effectively recycled back into bottles and jars.

Still a lot to do

“Separate collection is the most important step to increase glass recycling and 17 EU countries are on track to meet their 2025 recycling targets. However, the European Commission also recently identified 10 Member States at risk of not meeting their targets. This confirms the importance of Close the Glass Loop to strengthen collaboration along the glass packaging value chain to improve collection infrastructure, recycling processes and consumer communications. There is still a way to go to ensure that 90% of glass packaging is collected to be recycled by 2030 all across Europe and we must further trigger mobilisation of Close the Glass Loop actions on national level” says Adeline Farrelly, Secretary General of FEVE (Federation of European manufacturers of glass containers), on behalf of Close the Glass Loop partners.

Portugal is one of these 10 EU countries identified by the European Commission as unlikely to reach the 2025 EU glass recycling target. The launch last year of Vidro+, a Close the Glass Loop national action programme in Portugal, represents a strong commitment from the glass packaging value chain to collaborate as well as with government entities, universities and research centres, associations and non-governmental organizations to accelerate glass collection and recycling in Portugal.
“With 54.4% collection for recycling rate in 2021, Portugal is below the EU average but also one of the EU Member States with the most potential for collecting and recycling glass packaging. It is also the European country with the highest glass production per capita, almost 4 times higher than its consumption needs, making it critical to improve collection of glass packaging to meet the need for recycled glass” says Tiago Moreira da Silva, Coordinator Vidro+.