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“ Conversation in Commodities ”

Explore the glass container industry landscape, recycling facts, consumer attitudes, and challenges in glass recycling. Learn about barriers, opportunities for glass recovery, and best practices in effective single-stream systems.

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“ Conversation in Commodities ”

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

  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 18-65.  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: • Trommelscreens 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 www.GPI.orgor contact lbragg@GPI.org

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