European glass packaging industry welcomes EuroCities

Eurocities – representing governing bodies of over 140 of Europe’s largest cities and over 45 partner cities at European level – has joined “Close the Glass Loop” – the multi-stakeholder circular economy partnership for glass packaging. Close The Glass Loop is currently composed of FEVE, FERVER, EXPRA, UNESDA and Municipal Waste Europe (2).  Eurocities and Close the Glass Loop will work together to improve post-consumer glass packaging collection and recycling in the urban areas.

“With more than 70% of European people now living in urban areas, city authorities play a key role in the collection of used glass to be recycled back into new glass packaging,” said Anna Lisa Boni, Secretary-General of Eurocities. “Our ambition is to transform cities into authentic Circular Economies and the endless recycling assets of glass packaging can help. Close the Glass Loop objectives perfectly chime with the European Green Deal objectives that we are strongly engaged in, and where the transition toward a EU circular economy, thanks to the Circular Economy Action Plan, is one of the flagship initiatives.”

Besides investing in high quality and resource-efficient separate collection and public waste management systems, Eurocities also aims at engaging with all stakeholders on the development of holistic policies and measures within a city and in the network with the other cities as well as at empowering citizens to play an active role in this transition.

“Cities face unique challenges when it comes to glass collection and the choices made can have profound impacts on the quantity and quality of post-consumer glass that can be recycled. Much is already done for glass but there is also a big potential for improvement”, stated Adeline Farrelly, FEVE Secretary-General. “We are really happy to welcome Eurocities amongst the Founding Members and look forward to working together on separate collection systems for glass and to address Cities’ unique glass recycling challenges.”

Today more than ever, everyone in society is being asked to take environmental responsibility which amongst others means collecting, recycling and reusing packaging. This is also being shaped thanks to recently launched instruments by the European Commission like the EU Circular Economy Action Plan and the reviews of the Waste Framework and Packaging Directives.