We share a common European ambition to collect more and better glass, together.
Today, 76% of glass packaging placed on the EU market is collected for recycling. Close the Glass Loop is an industry platform to unite the glass collection and recycling value chain, and to establish a material stewardship programme that will result in more bottle-to-bottle recycling. We aim to increase the quantity and quality of available recycled glass – so that people don’t just recycle, but recycle more and better.
By recycling more and better, we can progress on new EU 2030 recycling targets and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, achieving sustainable growth opportunities in the Circular Economy.
We’re an action platform for a healthier planet. Close the Glass Loop aims to increase the recycled content available to the industry, by collecting more and better glass upfront.
The whole value chain is involved in recycling: from the glass producer, to the brand owner and the filler, to the consumer and glass treater passing by the EPR and Waste Management Schemes, as well as collectors and municipalities. That’s why we’re bringing them all together with a common goal.
Our vision is to achieve full actual recycling of collected glass packaging, by working in partnership with the whole value chain to make sure our Circular Economy works better.
We want to achieve 90% average EU collection rate of used glass packaging by 2030 (that’s up from the current average of 76%) and better quality of recycled glass, so more recycled content can be used in a new production loop.
Better quality of recycled glass,
so that more recycled content can be used in a new production loop.
90% collection rate of used glass packaging in the EU by 2030 (up from the current average of 76%).
Promote selective collection of glass packaging to increase the quality of untreated cullet.
Optimise and develop sorting and treating systems to increase yields, even from poor collection systems and generate more furnace-ready cullet.
Exchange of knowledge and best practice in collection, sorting and treatment systems between countries.
Our coordinated approach brings together 14 EU associations, including glass manufacturers, processors, food & beverage producers, hospitality sector, extended producer responsibility schemes and municipalities, to close the collection gap.
See the PartnersWe work hand-in-hand with a network of national partners across Europe, from Lisbon to Warsaw, to develop tailored solutions for glass collection which work in the local context.
Go to Action Plans
Glass is already Europe’s most recycled food and beverage packaging material – latest figures put the collection rate at 76%. Most ends up back in the production loop: the average batch contains 52% recycled content. Yet new glass containers could be produced with more recycled glass, and we want to make that happen.
By recycling more and better, we can progress on new EU 2030 recycling targets and the UN Sustainable Development Goals – particularly SDG 12: Responsible Production and Consumption – and achieve sustainable growth opportunities in the Circular Economy.
The revised Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive is a major step forward, increasing recycling targets for glass packaging to 70% by 2025, and 75% by 2030 per country. Most importantly, new EU targets now measure the actual recycling of packaging materials – not just collection rates – making it all the more important to increase and improve collection to achieve these real recycling targets.