Partnership will preserve an additional 300,000m² of beach in 2018
Brussels, 25 May 2018: When it comes to the environment, conversation about packaging waste usually flows back to one place: the ocean. With this in mind, Europe’s Friends of Glass community has recently announced a partnership with marine conservation organisation Surfrider Foundation Europe in support of activities to protect the ocean for future generations.Glass is the ocean-friendly choice
Since last autumn’s release of BBC’s Blue Planet II, concern over the state of our marine systems and oceans has exponentially grown and public attention has increasingly focused on the need to make more sustainable choices in everyday life. According to a recent Europe-wide survey carried out with the Friends of Glass community, 78% of Europeans have noticed a change in their own behaviour and pay more attention on the environmental impact of their daily life and actions.
This is having an impact on how European consumers are choosing to shop. The survey reveals that 73% of Europeans rate glass as the most ocean-friendly packaging, and 78% rank it amongst top packaging choices when buying their food and beverage products. Because of its infinite recycling potential, glass is regarded as one of the most sustainable and eco-friendly forms of packaging on the shelves. Crucially, glass is made from recycled glass, sand, soda ash and limestone, all raw materials which are found in nature. Even if a glass container were to end up in the ocean, it does not leach harmful chemicals or end up as micro particles that may pollute the ocean and harm our marine systems.
“With almost 6,300 responses to our Consumer Barometer in the space of just four weeks, it’s clear that this is an issue close to people’s hearts,” commented Adeline Farrelly – Secretary General of FEVE, the European Container Glass Federation – on behalf of the Friends of Glass Community. “Whether it’s fond memories of childhood holidays at the beach or summertime strolls along the coastline, we all love the ocean. We’re very proud to be donating to Surfrider Foundation Europe, and thrilled that our partnership can play a part in these efforts to protect our seas.”
“People are realising that our oceans are in a bad state: we simply aren’t giving enough consideration to the packaging we’re buying, and 8 million tonnes of waste ends up in the sea each year. It’s not too late to do something about it,” said Florent Marcoux, Surfrider Foundation’s Executive Director. “We’re looking forward to working with Friends of Glass, and to scaling up our efforts to keep pollution out of the water, ensuring that our oceans will be healthy for many years to come.”
The donation will see an extra 6,000 kilograms of marine litter collected on Europe’s shorelines in the coming months, resulting in the preservation of 300,000 m² of beach. It will also support Surfrider Foundation Europe’s efforts to raise awareness of the impact of plastic pollution, allowing them to reach an additional 5,000 citizens across Europe.
For more information on the findings from this pan-European survey and Friends of Glass’ partnership with Surfrider Foundation Europe visit news.friendsofglass.com
Learn more with Friends of Glass on Twitter and Facebook.
Join us as a Friend of Glass at www.friendsofglass.com
Notes to Editors
About the Consumer Barometer
This Europe-wide social media survey was targeted at consumers in 12 countries: Germany, France, Italy, UK, Spain, Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland and Turkey, from 29 March to 27 April 2018.
The purpose was to explore consumers’ attitudes toward packaging materials, and to spark a conversation on the environmental benefits of glass packaging. Overall, 6,256 responses were collected.
About Friends of Glass
Since 2008, Friends of Glass has brought together a community of 220,000 people, in Europe and beyond, all of whom are passionate about their own environmental impact and who pledge to choose glass for a better planet and a healthier lifestyle. Our members know that small daily life choices add up to a big impact, and we engage with consumers and retailers to raise awareness that glass is the ideal packaging material for families and for the environment. With glass unrivalled in its sustainability credentials, the Friends of Glass community believes that glass is the most ocean-friendly packaging to avoid harmful marine littering. Join the growing community of glass advocates on Facebook and Twitter, and add your voice to the Friends of Glass community today at www.friendsofglass.com.
Friends of Glass was created by FEVE (the European Container Glass Federation), an international not-for-profit association representing glass packaging for food and drink, flacons for perfumery, pharmacy and cosmetics and glass tableware makers.
About FEVE
FEVE is the Federation of European manufacturers of glass packaging for food and beverages as well as flacons for perfumery, cosmetics and pharmacy. The association has some 60 corporate members belonging to over 20 independent corporate groups. Its members produce 80 billion glass containers per year, and include major companies working for the world’s biggest consumer brands. With its 160 manufacturing plants located across 23 European States, the industry is a key economic partner in Europe, and maintains 125.000 jobs along the total supply chain.
See more on www.feve.org – Join us on Twitter @FeveEU
About Surfrider Foundation Europe
Surfrider Foundation Europe is an environmental not-for-profit organisation which “aims at defending, saving, promoting and managing in a sustainable manner the ocean, the coastline, waves and the people who enjoy them”. Created in 1990 by surfers who wanted to protect their environment, Surfrider Foundation Europe now counts among its members people from all walks of life all sharing a common passion for the ocean and concern about protecting the coastline. It brings together a network of 1,700 volunteers, 10,500 members and 120,000 supporters gathered around local chapters working across Europe.
Learn more at www.surfrider.eu.
For further information on the partnership, please contact:
Michael Delle Selve, Senior Communications Manager, FEVE
m.delleselve@feve.org +32 (0) 2 5360080
Christian Prior, Weber Shandwick Brussels
CPrior@webershandwick.com +32 (0) 2 8949013
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