RECYCLE WEEK 2017: CONSUMERS ENCOURAGED TO CLOSE THE LOOP BY RECYCLING MORE GLASS

Did you know that glass can be recycled infinitely? With #RecycleWeek running this week (25 September to 1 October 2017), there’s no better time to raise awareness of the positive impact on the environment when consumers take up recycling

“We need to ensure a sustainable and healthy environment for present and future generations. Recycling is one way to do this – glass recycling is easy and good for the environment, and only takes a few moments of your day. It helps to conserve energy and natural resources, as well as reducing waste”, said Michael Delle Selve, Senior Communications Manager, FEVE – the European Container Glass Federation.

“74% of empty glass bottles and jars are recycled across Europe, thanks to the efforts of consumers.90% of that goes back into making new bottles and jars, because glass can be infinitely recycled in a closed loop: this means that recycled bottles are the most important resource to produce new ones. But we can of course do better – that’s why we encourage people to recycle more, not just on Recycle Week, but all year long”, he added.

According to a recent InSites survey commissioned by Friends of Glass across 11 countries in Europe, six in ten European consumers under 25 see glass as the most environmentally friendly packaging material. They also believe glass is the most recyclable packaging material, and the least harmful to the environment. However, the survey revealed that millennials are less aware of the environmental impact of packaging, compared to older generations.

That’s whyFriends of Glass has teamed up with British rapper Doc Brown and Danish beer bottle band The Bottle Boys to promote glass sustainability through the medium of music and encourage millennials to recycle. From Louis Armstrong’s smooth jazz to the indie pop vibes of Peter Bjorn and John, young people were invited to join “singing bottles” in a bar on a musical journey showcasing exactly how varied the endless lives of glass can be. Check out this link.

Join us as a Friend of Glass at www.friendsofglass.com and support glass recycling during Recycle Week 2017. Because “IT’S WORTH IT!”

Notes to Editors

FEVE, Doc Brown and the Bottle Boys are available for media interviews on request.
The independent survey was conducted by InSites, on behalf of Friends of Glass. 17,377 European consumers in 11 countries were questioned about their perception and usage of glass packaging. The survey included a first sample size of 13,054 Europeans between 25-65 years old, with a focus on women (75% of surveyed consumers). The second sample size included 4,323 Europeans between 16-24 years old. To see the results in each surveyed country, please follow this link.

About Friends of Glass

Friends of Glass started in 2008 as an awareness campaign for glass packaging. It 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. At over 116,000 people, Friends of Glass unites a community from different countries in Europe and beyond who are convinced that glass is an ideal packaging material because of its unique environmental, economic and family-friendly benefits. Individuals, national organizations, agencies and companies that believe in the sustainability credentials of glass are also proud members of the community. Countries involved include the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Croatia, Czech Republic and Slovakia.

About FEVE

FEVE, the European Container Glass Federation, is the association of European manufacturers of glass packaging containers and machine-made glass tableware. The federation represents the glass container industry at an international and European level, serving as a forum for examining common questions. FEVE maintains a dialogue with the European institutions and agencies on environmental, trade and other important issues relevant to the industry. The federation promotes glass packaging and glass recycling, complementing the activities of the glass industry at a national level.

For further information, please contact:

Michael Delle Selve, Senior Communications Manager, FEVE, m.delleselve@feve.org, +32 (0)2 5360080

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