Commercial Glass Container Recycling

Transcription

1 Commercial Glass Container Recycling Conni Kunzler, Consultant Glass Packaging Institute ABC Recycling Workshop Hickory, NC February 15, 2007

2 The Glass Packaging Institute (GPI) is the trade association representing the North American glass container industry.

3 2006 (est.) U.S. Glass Container Shipments By Category Flavored Alcoholic Beverages 4% Liquor 3% Cosmetics, Fragrances, Pharmaceuticals Wine 5% 6% Food 18% 8% Non-Alcoholic Beverages Beer 56% 75% of glass container shipments are for beverages

4 49 U.S. Glass Container Manufacturing Plants State # Per State California 5 Indiana, Pennsylvania 4 Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, 3 North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas Colorado, Missouri, New York, Virginia 2 Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, 1 Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin

5 49 Glass Container Plants in 23 states 66 Cullet Processors in 25 states

6 What is Glass? Sand 68% Soda Ash 12% Limestone 10%

7 Cullet Recycled glass used at levels as high as 80% when available What is Glass?

8 Benefits of Using Quality Cullet Over a ton of natural resources are saved for every ton of glass recycled. Energy costs drop about 2-3% for every 10% cullet used in the manufacturing process. For every six tons of recycled container glass used, one ton of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, is reduced By weight, glass was one of the most recovered products in 2005 coming in at 2.76 million tons. Glass has an unlimited life, it can be recycled over and over again.

9 Challenges to Glass Container Recycling Availability Uneven geographic dispersion of processing and end-markets Non-container end-use/diversion continues to grow Quality Increase in single stream collection and compaction Cost Raw materials remain inexpensive, abundant

10 On-Premise Beverage Consumption On-premise consumption of beverages by weight is 18%.* Potential recovery by weight from on-premise locations is 21%.* Beverage packaging about 5% of all MSW. According to U.S. EPA, 25% of glass containers recycled in *Beverage Packaging Environmental Council 2006 Study

11 Commercial/On-Premise Programs Goal: Develop a consistent supply of high quality cullet from restaurants, bars, and hotels. Practical problems: Incentives to participate/local recycling priorities Collecting glass and maintaining infrastructure Economics for participating businesses Location of glass container markets GPI Resources: Commercial glass recycling kit (print and online) Web site and monthly e-newsletter highlight model programs

12 Benefits of Commercial Glass Recycling Lower disposal costs Diverting glass containers to recycling can help lower waste collection costs. It also keeps this valuable resource out of landfills. Environmental payoffs Glass is 100% recyclable. Recycling glass bottles and jars minimizes consumption of raw materials and lessens demand for energy. Customer recognition Consumers expect glass to be included in a recycling program. It shows a business is committed to environmental stewardship.

13 Successful Program Features Mandatory business recycling Requiring businesses to recycle makes commercial recycling a priority. Collection infrastructure - A durable infrastructure for collecting recyclables from bars and restaurants improves participation and program sustainability. The right economics - Program features that make recycling economical for businesses, including assistance from the city or county to develop a program, boosts participation. Options for small businesses - Curbside service for smaller businesses or access to drop-off facilities allows them to be included.

14 GPI Commercial Glass Recycling Kit Target audience: Bars, restaurants, and hotels Other audiences: Local recycling officials Recycling collection companies

15 Commercial Glass Recycling Kit Kit Contents: - Steps to set up a commercial glass recycling program - Do s and Don ts poster for employees Order/Download: - Recycling bin labels - We Recycle Glass Bottles downloadable art - Worksheet to tally amount of glass generated - Model programs in U.S. communities

16 Signage for glass recycling bins Bin Signage

17 Customer Recognition Downloadable art to let customers know a bar/restaurant recycles glass bottles: bottom of menus table tents coasters napkins window sticker T-shirts, etc.

18 Fort Collins, CO Brown Bottle Recycling Program Partners City of Fort Collins New Belgium Brewing Company Rocky Mountain Bottle Collection About 15 businesses Collected in 65 gallon polycarts 2 tons/month

19 Fort Collins, CO New Belgium Brewing Ad Campaign Features people who have turned recycling, activism, or sustainable business, into a full time "folly" for a 2007 national print advertising campaign

20 Colorado Springs, CO Partners Rocky Mountain Bottle Independent hauler Collection tons/month Recycled bottles go back into shipping boxes Over 25 bars/restaurants and Ft. Carson Mostly brown glass; small amount of green/clear separated out Hauler gets $50/ton delivered for amber glass

21 Athens County, GA Partners Athens Clarke County Solid Waste Department Athens Downtown Development Authority About 550 commercial businesses Collection Over 128 tons of commingled bottles and cans in 2003 Net cost to process recyclables $4.30/ton compared to $34/ton landfill Three mobile recycling stations/trailers are set out in three locations each evening 6-7 block area very dense (over 60 bars) Place in stations loose or clear bag

22 Orange County, NC Partners Orange County Over 100 restaurants Collection 40 tons/month of colorseparated glass bottles, cans, and plastic One restaurant recycles over 60% of its waste (about 24 tons of food and 26 tons of bottles and cans) to save about $3K/yr in waste hauling fees

23 Other Model Programs San Luis Obispo County, CA bars/restaurants; 1.7 million beverage containers/yr Boulder, CO - over 400 businesses; about 3,000 lbs. of commingled containers/day Hickory, NC - about 14 bars/restaurant; one ton of source separated glass/week Tacoma, WA - about 20 tons/month glass from 370 commercial generators in 2003

24 Choose Glass Recycle Glass