Shaping a Brighter Future, One Bottle at a Time
On the path to a sustainable tomorrow, every last bottle has a meaningful impact
Glass packaging has a remarkable story to tell – one of infinite circularity, near-limitless design possibilities, and endless protection for our favourite products. It's a story that already spans generations. But this story cannot be told alone.
From industry professionals to brands and society at large, we all have a role to play to realise glass’ boundless potential. Picture this: brands embracing recyclable packaging, and making sure it finds its way back into the loop. Consumers seeking out more information on disposal and committing to recycle properly. Local communities creating recycling initiatives and improving their collection systems together. And industry and value chains advancing circularity and collecting more and better-quality glass – all with a common goal.
To go far, we must move together. The more we recycle glass, the more we can reduce our carbon emissions, save precious resources and build a truly sustainable future. That’s why Vetropack, together with the European glass container industry, has set out to take consumers by surprise to improve recycling:
Bringing the endless lives of glass to life
This interactive experience, created by the European container glass industry in collaboration with Friends of Glass and Dutch street artist Remko Van Schaik, illustrates the endless cycle of glass, as well as its capacity to be continuously transformed into new packaging without losing any purity or protection.
Placing their used containers in the bottle bank, viewers can see how glass is broken down into tiny pieces called cullet. The cullet passes into the furnace, where together with sand, soda ash and limestone, it is melted down into a smooth liquid, ready to be moulded into new bottles and jars.
We see these reborn, glistening bottles emerge from the furnace. From here, they find their way back onto shop shelves and once again become iconic European products packaged in glass. And just like that, the endless cycle is ready to start again.
Curious to see more? Download our brochure to learn more about the campaign:
The Benefits of Glass Recycling
Celebrating endless recyclability and everlasting integrity
Glass can be recycled again and again without losing its purity or quality. This means that no matter how many times glass is remelted and moulded into new containers, its protective properties remain intact, preserving taste and safeguarding our health.
Conserving resources and reducing energy consumption
Whether you’re a brand or a consumer, boosting glass recycling is something we can all do to safeguard natural resources such as sand, soda ash and limestone. By using more recycled glass in production, we cut back on resources, energy and water needed to craft new containers.
Helping to shape a carbon-neutral future
As a material we rely on every day to package and protect food and drink, closed-loop recycling of glass is one way we can advance on decarbonisation. Incorporating a higher proportion of recycled content into production helps to reduce carbon emissions – saving an average of 670 kg of CO2 per tonne.
Advancing circularity through shared responsibility
Creating a circular system means working together. From consumers recycling properly, to brands embracing recyclable packaging, through to local authorities improving collection – we all play a role in advancing the circularity of glass and ultimately fostering a healthier future.
Test your knowledge about recycling:
Join us in bringing glass recycling to life
Are you ready to become part of our efforts to maximise glass recycling? Whether you’re a Vetropack customer who wants to showcase the 3D art installation at a local level, or a community member who wants to raise awareness on glass recycling – your participation matters.
Get in touch to discuss how you can help make 100% closed-loop glass recycling a reality and activate the artwork near you.