NSG Group has successfully demonstrated the use of post-consumer waste glass from renovation projects as a raw material for new float glass, advancing efforts toward horizontal recycling in Japan. The project was carried out with the Flat Glass Manufacturers Association of Japan (FGMAJ).
The recovered glass came from a building owned by the University of Tokyo and consisted of 12 mm ceramic-printed tempered glass with safety film. After collection, an intermediate processor sorted the material and removed the safety film. The recovered glass was then introduced into the float furnace at NSG’s Chiba Plant in Ichihara, Chiba Prefecture, during manufacturing trials in late August 2026.
NSG evaluated both product quality and the impact of the recycled material on furnace operations. The trials confirmed that, under defined conditions, the post-consumer glass could be used as a recycled raw material without adverse effects on production or product quality.
Not all recovered glass could enter the float-glass process. Material still containing safety film was instead processed for use as a raw material in glass wool production, demonstrating an alternative recycling route. 
The project addresses one of the major challenges in flat-glass recycling: contamination from films, metals and other materials can make post-consumer cullet unsuitable for float production.
Source: NSG Group with additional information added by Glass Balkan
