Resource Recycling Magazine: UPDATED: Glass and PET recycling rise in Europe

UPDATED: Glass and PET recycling rise in Europe

By Editorial Staff, Resource Recycling

September 15, 2015

Recycling of glass and PET containers continues to increase across Europe, according to two recent reports.

The glass analysis, which surveys all 28 member countries of the European Union, estimates the glass recycling rate reached an all-time high of 73 percent in 2013. More than 25 billion containers were recycled during the year. The study was produced by the European Container Glass Federation

According to the Glass Federation, the 73 percent mark, which includes bottles collected through an expansive network of redemption systems, "make[s] Europe the continent with the highest glass recycling rates in the world." The U.S. glass  container recovery rate in 2013 was 34 percent, EPA statistics show.

On a country-by-country basis, Denmark, recovering 98 percent of its glass containers, and Sweden, recovering 97 percent, sit at the top of the list from the group. In addition, five other countries reached or surpassed the 90 percent recovery threshold, while six others recovered between 73 and 89 percent of glass containers.

The group called for "more resources" to be invested to help low-performing member countries increase recovery, particularly those in eastern Europe.

On the PET front, trade group Petcore Europe estimates in a report of its own that 57 percent of PET containers were recycled in 2014. All told, 66 billion containers were recovered.

While heralding PET recovery efforts in Europe as "a success story over the last 25 years," Petcore called on both industry and consumers to step up efforts to increase recovery.

"On one hand, our industry has to work together to align the collection processes to deliver increased recycling objectives," said Petcore's executive director, Patrick Peuche. "On the other hand, consumers have to be more engaged."

Note: An earlier version of this story relied on an overall glass recycling figure for the U.S.  We have updated our coverage to provide the specific glass container recycling rate.

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