British Glass's latest report found that approximately 600,000 tonnes of glass is lost annually in the UK.

The report revealed that while the UK's glass recycling rate stands at over 75%, substantial untapped potential remains.

Approximately 600,000 tonnes of glass is lost to residual waste annually.

Consequently, as part of the report, British Glass has released a roadmap outlining the steps necessary to achieve a 90% glass recycling capture rate by 2030.

This is in collaboration with WRAP, a climate action non-government organisation (NGO).

The initiative aims to enhance the UK's glass recycling efforts, promoting sustainability and circular economy principles within the glass packaging industry to achieve a true closed loop system for glass recycling.

The report, titled ‘A Roadmap to Closed Loop Glass Recycling’, provides a detailed analysis of current glass recycling practices in the UK, utilising the latest available data to identify areas for improvement.

Dr Nick Kirk, Technical Director, British Glass, said: "Achieving at least a 90% glass recycling capture rate is imperative in fostering a sustainable future for the glass industry. This roadmap provides a strategic framework to guide stakeholders in the glass supply chain towards this ambitious but achievable target if the report’s findings are implemented.

“We encourage local authorities and government to continue to engage with ourselves and WRAP; support and collaboration is key in ensuring glass is correctly and efficiently collected and recycled, and this report is a great platform to work from."

The roadmap highlights the importance of transitioning away from co-mingling materials towards separate glass collections, as this is a key enabler to improving the final cullet quality for closed loop recycling.

Additionally, it highlights the need for reductions in the frequency and capacity of residual waste collections, aiming to incentivise recycling behaviours in consumers.

A key insight from the report is the proven success of separate collection schemes, exemplified by the Welsh Collections Blueprint.

By implementing efficient kerbside separated sort systems, Wales has achieved one of the highest recycling rates in Europe, with 92% of glass disposed at home being placed in recycling boxes.

The report also mentions the importance of communication campaigns to raise awareness among consumers and businesses, and the benefits of glass recycling.

To access the full report, click here: A Roadmap to Closed Loop Glass Recycling.