Reports on glass container recycling and education efforts continue to pour in following Recycle Glass Week.

Held September 12-18 to build awareness and boost glass bottle recycling, Recycle Glass Week generated over 55 awareness events in 20 states. Students, consumers, glass container manufacturers, suppliers and recyclers all worked together to collect glass for recycling and share the message that recycling glass bottles and jars has powerful environmental and energy saving benefits. Find out about all events

Here are a few highlights:

N.A. Glass Manufacturers Recognized for their Winning Efforts

The GPI is recognizing the 16 North American glass container manufacturing facilities involved in the production of the 2010 Clear Choice Awards winners at their fall labor meetings.

Each glass container manufacturing plant is honored for their achievement with a company plaque and their winning glass packaged products are showcased at Protective League meetings held across the U.S.

“The men and women who manufacture glass containers make it possible for their company’s customers to launch unique and innovative glass packaging for products,” says Joe Cattaneo, President of GPI. “Their efforts deserve this recognition.” See photo at right of employees at O-I’s Waco, TX plant and Anchor’s Henryetta, OK, plant with their winning glass packages at the Southwest Protective League meeting in Shreveport, LA.

The plants being honored are Anchor Glass Container, Henryetta, OK; O-I, Brampton, ONT, Lapel, IN, Streator, IL, Toano, VA, Waco, TX, Wheat Ridge, CO, and Winston-Salem, NC: Saint-Gobain Glass Containers, Inc., Burlington, WI, Dolton, IL, Lincoln, IL, Seattle, WA; and Vitro Packaging, Guadalajara, Monterrey and Toluca, Mexico. Get a full list of plants and their winning glass package

PACKAGING TRENDS

O-I Launches Pioneering Vortex® Bottle for Miller Lite

Owens-Illinois, Inc. (O-I) has introduced a new patent-pending Vortex® bottle, designed to differentiate the product on the shelf. It debuts in North America with MillerCoors’ Miller Lite beer. The innovation is seen as one of the most significant changes to the long-neck bottle since the introduction of the twist-off cap.

Manufactured using a proprietary internal embossing technology, the Vortex® bottle features specially designed grooves on the inside of the bottle’s neck. The exterior surface of the bottle remains smooth, allowing for easy labeling.

“A true marketplace differentiator, the Vortex® bottle exemplifies O-I’s innovation capabilities,” said Rich Crawford, president of O-I’s global glass operations. “We’re blending the art of package design and the science of glass to create innovative new packaging options to attract and deliver results for our customers.” More

Clear Choice Award Winners Make a Splash at InterBev 2010

Winners of the 21st Annual Clear Choice Awards were prominently featured at GPI’s exhibit during InterBev 2010, held September 22-24 in Orlando, FL. America’s premier beverage trade show and convention, InterBev 2010 was the ideal location to show off the 10 Clear Choice Award winning glass package designs. Attendees got a hands-on look at the shelf appeal and environmental advantages of using glass for packaging beverages compared to other packaging materials. InterBev is hosted by the American Beverage Association and the International Bottled Water Association, and brings together thousands of leaders and professionals from every sector of the beverage industry.

LEGISLATION

California Legislature Passes Recycling Bills

Before close of session, the California legislature passed and sent recycling-related bills to Governor Schwarzenegger for his consideration. The first, Assembly Bill 1846, the Governor has signed into law. It requires an environmental analysis to be completed prior to the state requiring the installation of any new pollution control equipment pursuant to AB 32, which is California’s climate change law. This should help ensure the merit of any new equipment or performance standards that the glass container and other energy-intensive trade-exposed industries would be subject to under AB 32 rules and regulations.

Governor Schwarzenegger, however, vetoed legislation that would have required the state to provide strategies to increase the diversion rate to 75% by 2020 by January 1, 2013. As part of the bill, jurisdictions would have been directed to implement a commercial recycling program to meet source reduction and recycling goals. In his veto statement, the Governor stated that the bill is unnecessary and duplicates actions already being undertaken by state agencies. CalRecycle is currently in the process of developing mandatory commercial recycling regulations through an open process of workshops and hearings, relying upon stakeholder input and participation.

FTC Releases Tightened Rules on Environmental Marketing Claims

No more “greenwashing”. On October 6th, the Federal Trade Commission released proposed revisions to the “Green Guides,” which provide recommendations to help marketers avoid making misleading environmental claims. Proposed changes are designed to make the guidelines easier to understand and use—and ensure claims are clearer for consumers.

Changes include new guidance on claims of degradability, compostability, recyclability, and recycled-content. For example, “recyclable” would be appropriate only if a “substantial majority” of consumers had access to recycling for that product or package. Also targeted are marketers’ use of product certifications and seals of approval, “renewable energy” claims, “renewable materials” claims, and “carbon offset” claims. The FTC is seeking public comments on the proposed changes until December 10, 2010, after which it will decide which changes to make final. Read the New York Times article

GLASS RECYCLING

WA State Draws a Crowd for “Recycling Glass for Value” Event

On September 24th, the Washington State Recycling Association (WSRA) hosted “Recycling Glass for Value” in Seattle, WA as part of its Washington Recycles Every Day program.

The gathering included tours of Seattle glass container manufacturing facility Verallia, the glass packaging division of Saint-Gobain, and the neighboring recycled glass processing facility of eCullet, Inc.. “We were honored to conduct tours of our eCullet Seattle facility. And, of course, appreciated the compliments on our technology and the quality of our cullet,” says Craig J. London, President and CEO of eCullet, Inc.

Over 100 recycling professionals attended the event, which was an extension of GPI’s Recycle Glass Week, an event sponsor. “To have over 100 industry professionals attending the conference was truly remarkable,” says London. “They were totally focused, vocal, and committed to glass recycling.”

Before the tours, four presenters outlined the latest technologies and the future of recycled glass. A panel discussion followed with a focus on how to improve and strength the glass recycling system in the Seattle region. ”We received a wealth of positive feedback from participants thanking the WSRA for putting on such an informative, useful, and enjoyable program,” says Conan O’Sullivan, Managing Director of WSRA.

We CAN Recycle Inc. Celebrates Recycle Glass Week with G-Cycle Event and “Friend of Glass” Recognition

“Friend of Glass” award presented at Texas Recycling & Sustainability Summit

On September 18th in honor of Recycle Glass Week, We CAN Recycle Inc. held a G-Cycle event at their facility in Houston, TX—complete with live music. Residents were invited to bring their glass for recycling and stick around for the music. The one-day event brought in just under a ton of additional glass.

“A couple of friends of mine are well-known local musicians and they came out and played,” says Mark Austin, owner of We CAN Recycle Inc. “Not too many recycling centers have live music when they have recycling events.” Musicians John Egan and Gary Burgess performed live at the G-Cycle event to the delight of locals dropping off glass bottles and other materials for recycling.

Later in the month, Austin received the “Friend of Glass” award at the opening event of the annual conference of the State of Texas Alliance for Recycling (STAR) (see photo right). “It’s really is a tremendous honor to be recognized by GPI for the work I’ve done in Houston,” says Austin. Last year, Austin was also recognized by STAR, the state’s recycling organization, for his recycling efforts. “One person can actually make a difference,” says Austin. And he has. Austin is responsible for recycling over a million pounds of glass a year.

Indy’s Broad Ripple Village Glass Bar/Restaurant Program Expands

In honor of Recycle Glass Week, Verallia North America donated and organized with Green Broad Ripple the drop off of 100 recycling bins for glass bottles and jars. This will expand the recycling program to include 14 Broad Ripple bars and restaurants and bring in an anticipated 20 tons of glass a month for recycling.

“When Green Broad Ripple and Village business owners decided to work toward the goal of 'zero landfill,' separating glass from the overall waste stream proved to be the easiest first focus,” says Brenda Rising-Moore, Union Jack Pub Owner and Green Broad Ripple Inc. co-founder. “We quickly learned that producing new bottles out of old, in Indiana, makes good economic sense, and it’s a logical sustainability practice."

Little Bottle presented silicone bracelets that read "Act Green @ChooseGlass," linking to GPI’s twitter account, to attendees and people on the city streets. Local media were also on hand. Read an article.

“We hope to see this private partnership duplicated across the state,” said Carey Hamilton, executive director of the Indiana Recycling Coalition. “When we take this glass and turn it back into recycled glass made in Indiana, we’re creating new, green jobs.”

Strategic Materials will collect and sort the glass by color, and Verallia, which has a production facility in Dunkirk, IN, will melt and mold the glass into new bottles. The new recycling initiative is an expansion of a program that began in 2007, when 10 bars and restaurants in Broad Ripple began recycling glass bottles. More

Clifton, NJ Takes Glass Quality Seriously—for 25 Years

The City of Clifton, NJ has been collecting color-sorted glass bottles and jars from residents and commercial establishments for nearly 25 years—and recycling about 1,200 tons of clean, high-quality glass annually.

At the curb, glass bottles are collected in metal or plastic reusable containers. Residents can also take glass for recycling at local drop-off centers. “The quality is good,” says Alfred Dubois, Recycling Coordinator. “We do get some contamination at the drop-off sites like ceramic and window glass, but residents are educated regularly through mailings, online, and at civic meetings.”

Ahead of their time, Clifton mandated recycling for all bars and restaurants in 1988. Businesses can choose a private hauler or have the city collect. The City collects source-separated glass from over 50 taverns, 25 restaurants, and 20 condos. “If the barrels are mixed we leave them and tell the owner to separate and then we come back,” says Dubois. “Those that cannot maintain quality must hire a private vendor to collect their material.”

This high-quality glass goes to ABCA Glass in Kearny, NJ for processing and then on to glass container manufacturers for making new glass bottles and jars. “People need to understand that most of the country is collecting glass commingled with other recyclables, and often it can’t be used to make new glass bottles because it’s too contaminated,” says Dubois. “Unless glass is going back into new bottles, there’s no reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and no saving of natural resources.”

1000 WORDS

Glass Bottles Make Their Debut on Broadway

GPI is taking its message about the environmental advantages of glass bottles to the Great White Way. From October 16th through November 27th, the CBS Super Screen in New York City's Times Square will feature a 15-second ad about the endless possibilities and endless recyclability of glass. Get a sneak peak