Ardagh Glass Packaging (AGP) will support the United Nations International Year of Glass throughout 2022, commemorating the essential role of glass packaging.

The International Commission on Glass (ICG), the Community of Glass Associations (CGA) and ICOM-Glass are promoting 2022 as the United Nations International Year of Glass (IYOG) to underline the scientific, economic and cultural importance of glass.

The year-long celebration will include events around the world, including fairs and exhibitions, seminars and social media campaigns.

These will inform and educate communities everywhere of the rich history that glass has and its contributions in areas such as sustainability, health, culture and art.

AGP is looking forward to supporting the events taking place in its regions, such as the National Day of Glass on April 5-7 at The Madison in Washington, DC, and the glasstec exhibition on September 20-23 in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Mike Dick, Chief Commercial Officer, said: “In this IYOG, AGP is focused on product and process innovations, as well as working on breakthrough projects which will help to achieve our 2030 sustainability targets outlined in Ardagh group’s latest sustainability report.”

These targets include zero waste to landfill, a 26% intensity reduction in water usage, a 23% intensity reduction in NOx emissions, a transition to 100% renewable electricity and maximising the use of recycled glass in its furnaces.

AGP is also aligned with the Science Based Targets Initiative for Greenhouse Gas emissions and is committed to delivering CO2 reductions.

Eight AGP facilities across Sweden, the UK and the US are already using renewable electricity. Major off-site, renewable energy projects are also under development in three European facilities – one in Germany and two in the UK.

AGP – North America has also diverted several of its facilities’ non-hazardous waste from landfill sites, which will be converted for energy recovery and alternative use. This same methodology will be implemented in the future at additional facilities throughout its North American facilities.