Brand Marketers Rally Around Election-Themed Products

Glass food and beverage marketers are taking advantage of the abundance of media coverage, cooler-talk, and hoopla surrounding the 2008 US presidential election and creating election-themed products.

Dave’s Gourmet Hot Sauces, Svedka Vodka, and Jones Soda are three companies using the 2008 presidential elections as a marketing push for their glass packaged products. More

Allied Waste and RecycleBank Launch National Recycling Partnership

Allied Waste Industries Inc. and RecycleBank have announced a national effort to step up recycling. Allied Waste, which is planning a merger with Republic Services Inc., plans to have its 7 million residential customers participate in RecycleBank’s incentive program, where households receive retailer discounts and gift cards for recycling.

The partnership is expected to launch in Dallas/Ft. Worth, Los Angeles, and Minneapolis/St. Paul where customers are already receiving program information. The initiative will expand to Allied Waste’s remaining markets in early 2009. Commercial customers will be included in further expansions. More And read about recycling and RecycleBank in USA Today

Brazil’s Abividro and GPI Coordinate around International Glass Container Issues

GPI and Abividro, Brazil’s trade association for the glass manufacturing industry, gathered last month to share information on glass recycling and the environment, and marketing messages.

“We have mutual company representation on three continents and believe working in concert will benefit our industry moving forward,” Joe Cattaneo, GPI President who hosted the meeting with Lucien Belmonte, Abividro Superintendente, an O-I representative, and GPI staff. More

GPI and FEVE Participate in “Green Week”

The European Container Glass Federation (FEVE) was one of 64 exhibitors at the European Commission’s Green Week 2008 conference held June 3-6 in Brussels.
 
“This was the first time FEVE has had visibility at this event, the biggest on environmental issues,” says Sandrine Laurent, FEVE Public Affairs Officer. “It turned out to be really successful at getting information about the sustainability of glass bottles into the hands of stakeholders.” Legislators, commissioners, academics, and members of the European Commission all visited the FEVE booth. More

LEGISLATION

Louisiana to Study Deposit Program for Glass Bottles

Louisiana State Senator Yvonne Dorsey (D-Baton Rouge) introduced a Study Request that would require the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality to meet at least twice to study the feasibility and all aspects of establishing a deposit refund program for certain types of glass bottles. The Committee approved the study on June 20th.

The Senator noted that containers manufactured from recycled content use significantly less energy than those made from virgin materials. The summary also highlights the fact that states who have implemented container deposit programs have seen recycling rates increase dramatically.

GLASS RECYCLING

Rhode Island Sets Municipal Recycling Goal

Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri's signed SB 2797, which establishes a 35% municipal recycling goal by January 1, 2011 for all communities contracting with the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corp. for the collection of recyclables.

This mandate requires municipal officials submit a plan, as part of its fiscal year 2010 contract with the RIRRC, detailing how the locality will achieve at least 35% diversion by 2011 and 50% diversion by January 1, 2012.

Additionally, commercial establishments with 50 or more employees must contract for recycling services and work with local officials to identify alternatives to private hauling of commercial recyclables.

WRAP Releases Study on Curbside Recycling Collection

A Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) study on curbside recycling collection costs released in June finds “contrary to the popular belief that co-mingling is more successful in collecting recyclable materials, what determines how much recycling people do is the size of the containers they have to put it in.” More

Report Documents Climate Change Impact of Waste Prevention and Recycling

A new report, Stop Trashing the Climate, provides more evidence that preventing waste and expanding reuse, recycling, and composting programs is one of the most effective strategies for combating climate change.

“Recycling is as important for climate stability as improving vehicle fuel efficiency, retrofitting lighting, planting trees, and protecting forests,” says Brenda Platt, the report’s lead author and co-director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, which released the report on World Environment Day with Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives and Eco-Cycle.

According to the report, a zero waste approach to solid waste management will decrease disposal in landfills and incinerators reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 406 megatons CO2 eq. per year by 2030. This is equivalent to taking 21% of existing coal-fired power plants off the grid and is comparable to other leading climate protection proposals, such as improving national vehicle fuel efficiency. Get the full report

1000 WORDS

Send Your Climate Message in a Glass Bottle

Greenpeace uses a glass bottle to urge “real action” against global climate change. Watch the video and then send your climate message.

Copyright © 2008 Glass Packaging Institute 

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