“Conversation in Commodities”

Glass Recycling Markets & TrendsIndiana Recycling Coalition

June 10, 2015

Lynn BraggPresident, Glass Packaging Institutewww.GPI.org

Glass Containers: Industry Overview

Glass Containers: Industry Overview

• U.S. glass container manufacturers operate 46 plants in 22 states under 11 companies

• An annual $5.5 billion dollar industry

• Approximately 27.5 billion glass containers manufactured in 2014

• Employs 18,000 Americans in high-paying, benefit-provided careers

• Glass bottles reduced in weight by more than 50% between 1970 and 2000

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Indiana Glass Container Presence

End-Markets for Recovered Glass

Source: Container Recycling Institute

6019

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Uses for Glass from Single Stream Programs

Recycled (Containers &Insulation)

Downcycled (Abrasives &Aggregates)

Trash (Landfilled)

Glass Container Recycling

Glass Containers: Why Recycle?

• 100% recyclable and can be recycled endlessly without any loss in purity or quality

• Can be substituted for up to 95% of raw materials

• Reduces emissions and consumption of raw materials, extends the life of plant equipment, such as furnaces, and saves energy

• 2.4 million tons of recycled glass used annually to make new bottles and jars

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Glass Containers: Recycling Facts• 51 cullet processors in 27

states operated by 16 companies

• Recycling rates*:– 41% of beer and soft drink bottles – 34% of wine and liquor

bottles– 34.1% of all glass containers– 10 states with refund

programs average 63% glass container recycling; other states average roughly 24%

*Sources: U.S. EPA, Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for 2012, and Container Recycling Institute

Average recycled content of glass containers risen from 26% in 2008 to 33%

at the end of 2014

Glass Container Recycling: Consumer Attitudes*

• 65% of consumer say packaging made from renewable/recyclable sources positively influence product choice

• Consumers understand that glass is an environmentally friendly packaging choice 

• 64% agree that glass is 100% recyclable and can be recycled endlessly

*Source: GPI partnered with EcoFocus Worldwide Research. Results are from sample of over 4,000 national representative adults ages 18-65.  Conducted Spring, 2013.

Glass Container Recycling: Challenges

Single Stream Recycling Collection

• 80% of Americans now have access to Single Stream Recycling – up from 65% in 2010*

• Increase in volume and diversity of materials recycled at SS MRFs

• Increase in contamination at SS MRFs for all materials

• SS MRFs typically designed to crush and remove glass rather than sort it resulting in off-spec recovered glass

*Source: 2014 AF&PA Community Access Survey

Single Stream MRF Processing Challenges

• Increased contamination of inbound supply

• As fiber decreases glass is a growing percent of recycling stream

• SS MRFs initially designed to “remove” glass, not sort it

• Glass clean up systems are expensive to maintain

Glass “Cullet” Processor Challenges• Glass is “negatively sorted”

commodity so disproportionally impacted by contamination

• Majority of MRFs have a glass breaker with 2” screens so everything smaller ends up in the glass stream

• “Glass” stream can contain up to 50% unwanted material: – Organics – shredded paper, food, etc.– Plastics – syringes, needles, caps, etc.– Ceramics – cups, plates, etc.– Moisture – winter, comes in with

organics/shredded paper

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Post MRF, prior to glass processor

Glass Container Recycling: Opportunities

Effective Single Stream Systems• Glass cleaning at MRF essential to

effective recovery • Regardless of MRF equipment

installed, biggest impacts on glass quality are:– Quality of inbound feed stock– Overall system capacity and maintenance– Glass cleaning system is being maintained

properly

• Majority of MRFs achieving ~11% - ~14% non-glass residue through:– Trommel screens for size separation– Air system (vacuum or blower) to remove lights

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Recommended Single Stream Best Practices

• Remove contaminants prior to processing to improve quality of all recovered materials

• Remove glass early in MRF process

• Consider not breaking glass when designing new MRF system or retrofitting

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Opportunities for Glass Recovery: Single Stream & Alternative Systems

• Single Stream with effective glass recovery processing/systems

• Single-Stream Plus (Portland, OR – glass on the side with SS)

• Dual stream or paper/fiber separated outside the bin

• Glass drop-off centers or glass depots (e.g. Ripple Glass in Kansas City and surrounding states/areas)

• Container recycling refund programs

Glass Container Recycling: GPI Initiatives

Glass Recycling Outreach & Engagement

• Local/Community Recycling Coordinators and Officials

• State Recycling Coalitions

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Glass Recycling Outreach & Engagement

• MRF Operators/NW&RA• Cullet Processors• Glass Manufacturers

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Glass Recycling Outreach & Engagement

• Glass Container End Users• Consumers• Media

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THANK YOU!Learn more about GPI and glass

container recycling at www.GPI.org

or contact lbragg@GPI.org