On Thursday February 24, representatives of glass and glazing national associations and Glass for Europe’s members companies participated in the first online workshop on flat glass recycling.
Three speakers presented three national cases:
· Jochen Grönegräs, Managing Director of Bundesverband Flachglas (the German Federal Flat Glass Association) reported on “The recycling of flat glass in the building industry in Germany”
· Cor Wittekoek, Director at Vlakglas Recycling Nederland and secretary general of the glass department of Bouwend Nederland, presented “Vlakglas Recycling Nederland (VRN) – A system for the structural collection and recycling of flat glass”
· Nelly Philipponnat, vice-president of UDTVP, updated participants about the “New requirements for flat glass recycling in France”
In order to be allowed to be sent back to flat glass furnaces to make new flat glass products, the scrap glass must meet very specific quality requirements. Collecting high-quality cullet from building demolition sites remains challenging. In several EU member states, flat glass producers are actively participating in projects and schemes to facilitate the collection, sorting and recycling of end-of-life building glass.
This was the first of a series of workshops on flat glass recycling that Glass for Europe will be organising throughout the year 2022, coincidental also the UN’s International Year of Glass. Glass for Europe’s workshops are open to its members and national partners.
