Events Planned Across the Country for Recycle Glass Week, September 12-18

The Glass Packaging Institute (GPI) is teaming up with Keep America Beautiful Inc. (KAB), the nation's largest volunteer-based community action and education organization, to promote GPI’s Recycle Glass Week and KAB’s America Recycles Day, a nationally-recognized day for community-driven initiatives dedicated to promoting and celebrating recycling in the United States.

“GPI is delighted to partner with such an extraordinary organization to advance recycling in communities across the country,” says Joseph Cattaneo, president of the Glass Packaging Institute. “Keep America Beautiful’s America Recycles Day and GPI’s Recycle Glass Week are two great events that share a common purpose: educating consumers about the environmental benefits of recycling and encouraging action.”

“Uniting our resources, networks and constituents to promote recycling helps amplify our shared message,” said Matthew M. McKenna, president and CEO of Keep America Beautiful, Inc. “Recycling is the easiest thing that any individual or organization can do to save energy, protect our treasured natural resources, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. And it has never been more important.”

During GPI’s second annual Recycle Glass Week, September 12-18, communities across the U.S. will unite with glass container manufacturers, suppliers, and recyclers, to hold local activities and events to build awareness and boost glass bottle recycling. Check out the events happening in your area. More are added every day.

Less Than Three Weeks to Win Big in Recycle Glass Week e-hunt!

Join us Now to Win Prizes during Recycle Glass Week, September 12-18. Winners announced on Monday, September 13th!

GPI has launched the “Recycle Glass Week e-hunt”, a virtual scavenger hunt to educate about the value of glass bottle recycling. Little Bottle, an animated character created by Saint-Gobain Containers, guides recycling enthusiasts, glass lovers, and green people everywhere through this easy online search for a chance to win iPod shuffles, t-shirts, cash, and more. Check out participant tweets

“We hope the recycle e-hunt proves a fun way to educate about the environmental benefits of glass container recycling, and that it will encourage people to recycle more glass bottles and jars,” says GPI president Joseph Cattaneo. “Recycling glass saves energy, reduces use of raw materials, and lessens CO2 emissions. Recycling your glass containers will help glass container manufacturers to meet the goal to use 50 percent recycled glass in the manufacture of new glass bottles and jars by 2013.”

GPI has partnered with Earth911.com, O-I, Race Across America, and Saint-Gobain Containers to host recycle e-hunt clues. GPI will announce recycle e-hunt prize winners during GPI’s 2nd annual Recycle Glass Week, September 12-18. GPI's Recycle Glass Week e-hunt is also a finalist in PR News' Digital Awards 2010! Winners will be announced on October 6th. Learn more

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Clear Choice Awards Winners Announced Tuesday, September 14th

Winners to be announced on the GPI website during Recycle Glass Week

Be the first to find out the winners of GPI’s 2010 Clear Choice Awards on Tuesday, September 14th at 1:00pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). Winners will be announced on the GPI website through a satellite video presentation. Mark your calendars to get an inside look at the 2010 top glass container designs in North America. Don’t miss out.

PACKAGING TRENDS

Study Affirms Wine Remains Most Stable and Fresh in Glass Bottles

Packaging News UK reports a year-long study, which was carried out by the Institute of Vine and Wine Sciences (ISVV) in Bordeaux, found that the flavor and chemical composition of white wine changed within six months of being packed in single- and multi-layer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles and bag-in-box packaging. The wine, however, remained stable in glass bottles, the study claimed. More

“Cinderella’s Organic Housekeeping” Launches Cleaning Products in Glass

GPI recently sat down to speak with Mark Cochrane & Yvonne Schoff of Cinderella’s Organic Housekeeping, a new company that offers fair trade, organic, eco-friendly cleaning products, all of which are packaged in glass. Cinderella’s is proud to offer consumers the first glass spray bottle in the cleaning industry complimented by glass concentrate refill bottles.

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LEGISLATION

Congress Resumes Consideration on Climate Change Legislation

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced that the Senate will begin debate on climate change legislation, which he expects to be released prior to the August recess. The energy package is expected to focus on the oil response, increase and possibly set renewable energy standards, and work towards reducing oil consumption. There is also a possibility of placing a carbon cap on the utility sector, which would impact the glass industry. A full scale cap and trade program is not expected to be part of the proposals.

Massachusetts Container Deposit Expansion Fails

After receiving initial Committee approval, the Massachusetts proposal to expand the current container deposit law to include water and similar water-based beverages did not pass prior to the July 31st legislative deadline. Compromise between state legislators saw a provision on non-carbonated and other beverages removed and limited the scope of the expansion to include water and sports drinks only. The legislation also would have raised the amount per container that the state’s redemption centers could have received from the beverage dealers from 2.25 to 3 cents. Governor Patrick (D) has been a longtime advocate of expanding the state’s container deposit law, citing millions of dollars in unclaimed deposits that the state could have received annually.

GLASS RECYCLING

Washington State Holds “Recycling Glass for Value” Event

The Washington State Recycling Association (WSRA) will hold “Recycling Glass for Value” on September 24th. The event is one of three that WSRA organizes as part of its Washington Recycles Every Day series. These events bring together 60-80 public and private-sector professionals from all over Washington State to discuss serious recycling issues and provide meaningful tours of working facilities and technologies in the field.

As part of the event, representatives from Strategic Materials and eCullet, both glass processors, will present. And attendees will tour the Verallia, formerly Saint-Gobain Container, glass manufacturing plant and the eCullet glass processing facility. eCullet is producing more than 8,000 tons/month of furnace-ready cullet for Verallia’s glass manufacturing plant where they are now using nearly 50% recycled glass—up from 17% in 2009—in the manufacture of new glass wine bottles. Get more information and register

Ripple Glass Exceeds Goals for Glass Bottle Recycling in Kansas City

The Kansas City Star reports Ripple Glass in Kansas City is on track to exceed its first-year glass bottle collection goals and is already planning updates to its glass processing plant so more beer bottles—the company’s biggest glass recycling commodity—and other glass bottles and jars can be endlessly recycled. The company is also preparing to launch an initiative to collect bottles from bars and restaurants. “About half the glass in the area comes out of bars and restaurants,” said Jeff Krum, Ripple principal and co-founder. “That’s a big, untapped market for us.”

The original goal for Ripple’s first year was 6,500 tons of glass, but the company now hopes that number will be in the 8,000 to 10,000 ton range. Glass bottles and jars are collected at about 70 drop off locations in the metro area. According to Ripple, 8,000 tons would be only about 10% of the glass containers in Kansas City that could be recycled. More

Survey Finds “Easy to Recycle” Beverage Package Matters to Consumers

According to a recent BeveragePulse.com survey 94% of Americans are concerned about the long-term effects that their packaged beverage purchases and consumption have on the environment. The study also showed that recycling was most frequently cited (45%) by survey respondents as the most important environmental concern for packaged beverages.

“Our research shows that consumers think about the environment when they are making beverage purchases,” said Bob Falkenberg, founder of BeveragePulse.com and president of Alpharetta, Ga.-based Concept Catalyst. “Specifically, the findings indicate that consumers relate positively to packages that are easy to recycle. Beverage companies should start a full-court press on recycling.” More

1000 WORDS

How Big is Your Footprint?

Rising levels of greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere are already changing our climate. Recycling glass is one way to reduce greenhouse gases and your own carbon footprint! Make glass bottle recycling a habit this upcoming Recycle Glass Week. And check out the Top 10 reasons to recycle glass.