Target set for recycling glass

New Zealanders are recycling nearly 70 percent of glass in this country, but recyclers want to increase that by targeting hotels, events and better collection systems.

Figures from the Glass Packaging Forum show 69 percent of glass used in the year to the end of March was recovered, on a par with the previous year and similar to recovery levels in Europe, where it is 70 percent.

Consumption of glass packaging declined by seven percent and there was a corresponding reduction in recovery.

Forum general manager John Webber says over the past decade glass recovery has increased from 50 to 69 percent.

However, the forum has now set a new target of 78 percent by 2017.

"To do this we need to recover some of the glass which is not currently being recycled."

The forum has identified where and how more glass can be collected.

They include:

* more collections in the hostel, restaurant and catering sector

* better management at one-off events where glass bottles are used

* better data from some locations about what is collected.

Last year the forum spent around $350,000 on installing glass pods, glass bunkers and bottle banks and improving awareness.

Also last year, the forum became part of a $7 million industry-funding scheme to triple the number of public place recycling facilities over seven years.