1. “Conversation in Commodities”
Glass Recycling Markets & Trends
Indiana Recycling Coalition
June 10, 2015
Lynn Bragg
President, Glass Packaging Institute

2. Glass Containers: Industry Overview

3. 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 3

4. Indiana Glass Container Presence

5. End-Markets for Recovered Glass
Source: Container Recycling Institute

6. Glass Container Recycling

7. 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 7

8. 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%
Average recycled content of glass containers risen from 26% in 2008 to 33% at the end of 2014
*Sources: U.S. EPA, Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for 2012, and Container Recycling Institute

9. 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  Conducted Spring, 2013.

10. Glass Container Recycling: Challenges

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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
Post MRF, prior to glass processor 13

14. Glass Container Recycling: Opportunities

15. 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 15

16. 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 16

17. 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

18. Glass Container Recycling: GPI Initiatives

19. Glass Recycling Outreach & Engagement
Local/Community Recycling Coordinators and Officials
State Recycling Coalitions 19

20. Glass Recycling Outreach & Engagement
MRF Operators/NW&RA
Cullet Processors
Glass Manufacturers 20

21. Glass Recycling Outreach & Engagement
Glass Container End Users
Consumers
Media 21

22. THANK YOU!
Learn more about GPI and glass container recycling at or contact