Close the Glass Loop launches new national platform

The Netherlands has become the first new country to join the Close the Glass Loop partnership since its inception back in June 2020.

Close the Glass Loop is an industry platform launched by the European Container Federation (FEVE) that aims to unite the glass collection and recycling value chain.

The Netherlands will join ranks with fellow national platforms in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

The launch meeting of Close the Glass Loop Netherlands took place on February 29^th, 2024, at the Ardagh Group's glass factory in Dongen.

The event brought together stakeholders from the Dutch glass collection and recycling value chain.

Joost Lavèn, Chair of Stichting Duurzaam Verpakkingsglas (Sustainable Packaging Glass Foundation), said: “To reduce energy consumption and CO₂ in the chain of both single-use and reusable glass, bottles and jars are already made from as much recycled glass as possible, i.e. from cullet. But the bottleneck to increasing recycled content even further is often a shortage of good quality cullet.

“The glass cullet is there, but it leaks out of the cycle and that is a waste of valuable raw materials. We are convinced that more collaboration across the glass packaging value chain will lead to the collection of more glass and therefore more cullet available for glass production.”

On behalf of Close the Glass Loop partners, Adeline Farrelly, the Secretary General of FEVE, said: “We are proud to welcome Close the Glass Loop Netherlands to the network. From the beginning we have always insisted on taking a bottom-up approach, to tailor solutions to every local reality.

“But we are also convinced that the long tradition of glass collection and recycling in the Netherlands will be beneficial to other partners, and this exchange of best practices is a key part of our work to enhance sustainability throughout the glass packaging value chain, across Europe and beyond.”

Close the Glass Loop aims to mobilise all the relevant stakeholders towards achieving a 90% glass collection for recycling rate in the EU by 2030 – up from the rate of 80.1% achieved in 2021.

To attain this, Close the Glass Loop will:

• Foster the exchange of best practices between national platforms.

• Promote joint initiatives in the separate collection of glass packaging from households and the hospitality sector.

• Support investments that maximise glass recycling outputs towards closed loop glass packaging.

All information on Close the Glass Loop Netherlands will be made available on the Close the Glass Loop website: https://closetheglassloop.eu/platforms/netherlands/