The N American glass container industry has completed what it says is the first complete & thorough cradle- to-cradle life cycle assessment (LCA) ever conducted for the industry. The LCA, coordinated by the Glass Packaging Institute (GPI), reaffirms the benefits of glass container recycling for the environment. The use of cullet in manufacturing results in a decrease in primary energy demand & reduces carbon emissions. A "cradle-to-cradle" LCA includes the entire cradle-to-grave life cycle of a product while factoring in the recycling of the used product back to its original purpose. The LCA confirms the industry is on the right track with the goal to use 50% recycled glass in the manufacture of new glass bottles & jars by the end of 2013," said Joseph Cattaneo, GPI president. "In creating more recycling awareness & working to improve recycled glass collection, the industry is helping boost the cullet content in manufacturing. The study shows increased cullet helps reducing energy emissions, conserve raw materials, extend the life of glass manufacturing furnaces, & save energy." While other industries claim the transportation of glass bottles has more of an environmental impact because of the weight of the containers, a key finding of the LCA dismisses this. The transportation of raw materials & cullet used in glass production represents less than 4-5% of the total energy used in the production of container glass. While each glass container has its own carbon profile, on average, existing recycle rates offset the CO2 burden when shipping foods and beverages across America. The 50 percent content rate will only serve to further reduce carbon emissions. Therefore, when examining the entire life cycle of a packaging material, one must also consider the environmental impact of raw material extraction, production, transportation and end use treatment. The conclusion: when looked at it in its entirety, the environmental benefits stemming from the recycling of glass containers more than offset any increased impact generated by slightly heavier containers.
