Glass recycling made simpler

The Protocol will remove barriers to recycling by cutting the red tape associated with processing this waste. The number of permits and licenses that are usually required for the handling and processing of waste materials will be reduced by removing the 'waste' description that currently applies to this material. The base Protocol has been developed by the EA and WRAP, working with relevant industry representatives. The proposals are now subject to a three-month consultation process, starting from the 6th November.

A number of environmenta benefits would result from increased flat glass recycling since re-melting processed flat glass uses up to 25% less energy compared to making glass from virgin materials; using recycled glass in the production of brick can result in an energy saving of 20% and using a tonne of recycled glass as a filter agent can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 1,200 kg (2,640 lb); and finally, considerable savings of virgin materials can be achieved – remelting 1 tonne of recycled glass saves 1.2 tonnes of raw materials.