Reiling Group operates 14 glass recycling sites across Germany and Europe, where flat glass passes through several processing stages. The first requirement is the separate collection of different glass streams, allowing materials such as window glass, automotive glass and laminated products to be processed according to their composition.

The material is mechanically crushed and broken down, while composite components are separated from the glass fraction. Films, plastics and metallic contaminants are removed through a combination of technologies, including magnetic separation, non-ferrous metal separation, vacuum extraction and electro-optical sorting.

The objective is to produce a clean and consistent glass cullet fraction suitable for remelting. This recycled material can be supplied particularly to the float glass and container glass industries, where it replaces part of the virgin raw-material input.

The use of cullet has direct process benefits. Because recycled glass melts at a lower temperature than the raw materials required to produce new glass, increasing cullet content can reduce furnace energy demand and associated CO₂ emissions, while simultaneously lowering the consumption of primary resources such as sand, soda ash and limestone.

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The facility was officially inaugurated on 20 August 2026 and was developed with financial support through Romania’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), part of the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility. Financing was supported through the Environmental Fund Administration (AFM), with maib acting as financial partner.

The plant is designed to receive, crush, sort and clean collected glass, transforming post-consumer material into secondary raw material suitable for industrial applications. By increasing domestic processing capacity, the project aims to reduce the amount of glass waste sent to landfill while strengthening Romania’s circular-economy infrastructure.

The investment also has a regional dimension. ABS 2000 is managed by Serghei Balica, whose business activities extend into Moldova, where ABS Recycling collects and processes PET bottles. The new Buzău facility expands the group’s operations into glass recycling and could support future material flows between Romania, Moldova and other markets in Southeast Europe.

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Launched in 2021, the scheme enables installers to divert old IGUs removed during window and door replacement projects from landfill. The collected units are crushed by Morley Glass, producing cullet that can be returned to glass manufacturing as a secondary raw material.

As of August 2026, the company has produced 4,332 bags of cullet, equivalent to more than 3,000 tonnes. Morley Glass estimates that approximately one tonne of cullet is generated from every two bags, although actual quantities vary depending on the material collected.

The environmental impact is significant. According to the company, the recycled glass has saved an estimated 2,220 tonnes of CO₂ emissions and reduced demand for virgin sand by approximately 4,641 tonnes. The energy savings are equivalent to around 1,674 years of electricity consumption for an average home, based on the company’s calculation that one tonne of cullet saves enough energy to power a home for six months.

The initiative also supports communities through the GreenVision fund. Revenue generated from the cullet has so far financed 452 grants for environmental and social projects, including school gardening initiatives, youth clubs, sports development and animal welfare.

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Glass is one of the few building materials that can be recycled indefinitely without losing its essential properties. By incorporating recycled content into the manufacturing process, Press Glass UK helps reduce waste, conserve natural raw materials and support the transition towards a more circular economy.

Using recycled glass also requires significantly less energy than producing glass solely from virgin raw materials. This lowers energy consumption during manufacturing and contributes to reducing the overall carbon footprint of construction projects, making it an attractive option for architects, developers and homeowners seeking more sustainable building solutions.

Despite its environmental advantages, recycled glass delivers the same strength, clarity and long-term performance as conventionally manufactured glass. It is suitable for a wide range of residential glazing applications, offering an effective balance between aesthetics, durability and sustainability.

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As Japan approaches a wave of PV system decommissioning beyond 2030, the need for effective recycling solutions is increasing. PV cover glass has been particularly difficult to reuse due to its specialised composition and strong encapsulation materials.

For this trial, the glass was recovered using Tokuyama Corporation’s low-temperature thermal decomposition technology at its Hokkaido facility. The extracted material was then introduced into the raw batch at NSG Group’s Chiba Plant float furnace in Ichihara during a controlled manufacturing run.

The trial evaluated both product quality and operational stability, confirming that recycled PV cover glass can be reused under defined conditions without compromising performance. This establishes a viable pathway for horizontal recycling within float glass production.

The process supports reduced consumption of primary raw materials such as silica sand and soda ash, while increasing cullet usage improves furnace efficiency and lowers CO₂ emissions.

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The latest figures show that amber glass containers now contain 60 percent PCR content, while white flint glass has reached 42 percent. These improvements demonstrate Beatson Clark’s commitment to reducing reliance on virgin raw materials and lowering carbon emissions associated with glass production.

A key factor behind this progress is the company’s integrated recycling capabilities. Beatson Clark remains the only glass manufacturer in the UK to operate its own on-site glass recycling plant, enabling full control over the quality and consistency of recycled material used in production.

Each year, the company processes approximately 44,000 tonnes of waste glass sourced from kerbside collections, bottle banks, and the hospitality sector. This recovered glass is cleaned, sorted, and melted in furnaces to produce new bottles and jars, effectively closing the loop within the glass lifecycle.

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Partnering with the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) and other stakeholders, the company recently completed the pilot project “Windows of Opportunities,” demonstrating how post-consumer insulating glass can be reintegrated into production.

The initiative involved dismantling 375 window sashes from a residential building in Winterthur, Switzerland. After carefully separating the insulating glass from PVC frames and preparing the glass fragments, more than 2.6 tonnes of recycled glass were fed back into the melting furnace of a nearby Glas Trösch float glass plant. This process alone resulted in approximately 1.33 tonnes of CO2 savings.

The project proves that recycling insulating glass from end-of-life buildings is not only technically feasible but also environmentally impactful. It highlights how circular solutions can be implemented at scale in the flat glass industry, creating both economic and ecological benefits.

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The intervention focuses on Furnace 1, which supports the production of both flint and coloured glass, serving premium spirits and food packaging markets. By executing the repair without a full shutdown, Stoelzle ensures operational continuity while extending furnace campaign life and maintaining high production standards.

According to Dr. August Grupp, CEO of Stoelzle, the investment reflects the company’s continued commitment to operational efficiency and customer competitiveness. He emphasised that upgrading production infrastructure strengthens reliability, cost structures and supply agility, key priorities in today’s demanding market environment.

A central upgrade linked to the project is the completion of a new external cullet dosing system. Once commissioned, the system will increase recycled glass input, contributing to lower energy consumption and reduced CO₂ emissions. This move aligns with Stoelzle’s broader sustainability strategy and decarbonisation roadmap across its European operations.

To ensure seamless supply during the temporary furnace intervention, Stoelzle has implemented comprehensive preparation measures, including safety stock build-up, optimised production scheduling, coordinated output across other group facilities, and close alignment with key customers.

The Częstochowa plant, which also includes an integrated decoration facility and in-house development capabilities, plays a strategic role within the group and serves as a reference model for Stoelzle’s U.S. operations in Monaca.

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Commissioned by FEVE and carried out with the operational support of FERVER members, the study evaluates how effectively today’s optical sorting technologies can recognise opaque glass fragments in Cullet Treatment Plants (CTPs). Through a combination of laboratory analysis and industrial-scale trials, the research delivers data-driven insight into the actual performance of Europe’s glass recycling infrastructure.

The findings demonstrate that modern optical sorting systems can reliably identify opaque glass fragments with an average visible light transmittance above 2.5%, measured in line with the opacity protocol currently being finalised by European Committee on Standardisation (CEN), incorporating technical input from CETIE.

This threshold is significantly lower than those defined in some national packaging regulations, which the study shows underestimate current sorting capabilities under real operating conditions.

To ensure statistical robustness, SSV conducted industrial trials at nine CTPs across Europe, processing 2,700 kilograms of standardised cullet from various opaque bottle types. The trials assessed false rejection rates of CSP (ceramics, stones and porcelain) using different optical sorting technologies, providing a representative snapshot of performance across the European recycling landscape.

Due to its technical depth and practical relevance, the study’s conclusions are being taken into account in the development of design-for-recycling specifications for glass packaging now nearing completion within CEN. These guidelines, developed with input from the full value chain, from glass manufacturers and recyclers to fillers, machinery suppliers and EPR schemes, will remain subject to regular review, ensuring they evolve alongside advances in glass design, collection, sorting and recycling technologies.

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Since its launch in 2021, Glass4Good has focused on expanding access to glass recycling through community-based, locally tailored programs. In 2025 alone, residents across five participating communities, James City County (Virginia), Danville (Virginia), Warren County (Kentucky), Greeley (Colorado), and Jefferson County (Pennsylvania), recycled a total of 392 metric tonnes of glass.

From collected glass to new containers

The glass collected through Glass4Good was processed into clean cullet and delivered directly to O-I manufacturing facilities, where it was remelted into new glass bottles and jars. To put the impact into perspective, this volume of cullet is equivalent to:

• Approximately 922,000 wine bottles recycled
• The annual energy savings of 16 homes in terms of CO₂ emissions
• A total reduction of 134,000 kg of CO₂

Using recycled glass significantly reduces the need for virgin raw materials and lowers furnace energy consumption, helping decrease emissions across the glass manufacturing process.

Recycling with a social purpose

Glass4Good extends beyond environmental benefits by directly supporting local communities. The program incentivises recycling by linking glass collection volumes to quarterly charitable donations. The more glass residents recycle, the greater the financial support provided by O-I to local organizations.

With its fourth-quarter 2025 contributions, Glass4Good surpassed a major milestone, raising USD 104,571 for local causes since its inception. These funds have supported initiatives including education programs and projects addressing homelessness, reinforcing the link between everyday recycling behaviour and meaningful social outcomes.

Tackling recycled glass availability

One of the key challenges in increasing recycled content in glass packaging is ensuring a reliable supply of quality recycled glass. Many communities lack the infrastructure needed for efficient glass collection.

Glass4Good addresses this gap by working closely with municipalities, nonprofit organisations and recycling partners to develop practical, localised solutions. By placing convenient collection sites near O-I plants and investing in community partnerships, the program helps divert glass from landfills and return it to the manufacturing loop.

Supporting long-term sustainability goals

This collaborative, local-first approach aligns with O-I’s broader sustainability ambition to increase the global average recycled content of its glass packaging to 60% by 2030. Through initiatives like Glass4Good, O-I continues to demonstrate how circular economy principles can deliver environmental gains while creating measurable value for local communities.

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