Glass for Europe: First workshop on flat glass recycling

On Thursday February 24, representatives of glass and glazing national associations and Glass for Europe’s members companies participated in the first workshop on “Flat glass recycling.”

3 speakers presented 3 national cases:

• Jochen Grönegräs, Managing Director of Bundesverband Flachglas reported about “The recycling of flat glass in the building industry in Germany”

• Cor Wittekoek, Director at Vlakglas Recycling Nederland and secretary general of the glass department of Bouwend Nederland, presented “Vlakglas Recycling Nederland (VRN) – A system for the structural collection and recycling of flat glass”

• Nelly Philipponnat, vice-president of UDTVP, updated participants about the “New requirements for flat glass recycling in France”

To be sent back to flat glass furnaces to produce new flat glass products, the recycled glass must fulfil the highest quality specifications. Collecting high quality cullet from building demolition remains challenging. In several Member States, flat glass producers are actively participating in projects and schemes to facilitate the collection, sorting and recycling of end-of-life building glass.

This was the first of a series of workshops on flat glass recycling that Glass for Europe will organize during the year 2022. Glass for Europe’s workshops are open to its members and national partners.