Glass is 100% recyclable, right here in Aotearoa

Good things happen when we reuse and recycle glass

Together we can:

Reduce CO₂ emissions

Every tonne of glass recycled saves approx. 499kg of CO₂ over virgin materials.

Source: Grant Thornton

Save natural resources

Over a tonne of natural resources are saved for every tonne of glass recycled.

Source: FEVE lifecycle analysis study

Grow our circular economy

Glass is reusable many times over and infinitely recyclable – it can be recycled over and over and over again without a loss of purity.

Save energy

It takes less energy to recycle glass than it does to make new glass, because the furnace can run at lower temperatures.

What we’re doing

Our member businesses pay levies to fund projects that improve environmental outcomes for glass packaging. We support best practice collection systems, better infrastructure and logistics, reuse programmes and more.

$25,000 Helped Xtreme Zero Waste in Raglan set the bar for best practice glass processing for recycling, improve health and safety, work more efficiently and lead.

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$25,000 Co-funded Again Again’s development of their digital platform for reusable containers and a trial with beer taprooms using glass growlers.

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$20,000 Assisted Waikato District Council reduce contamination and recycle more glass by building a dedicated glass handling and storage area.

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$38,492 Boosted glass storage capacity at community recyclers Waitaki Resource Recovery Trust, to overcome logistics challenges so that glass can be sent for recycling in Auckland.

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$37,500 Funded a successful drop-off trial at EcoCentral so that glass could be colour sorted and recycled instead of used for roading aggregate.

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$8,600 Helped Palmerston North future proof their glass storage capacity and resilience to supply chain issues.

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$12,000 Co-funded recycling trailers for rural residents in Western Bay of Plenty so more glass could be recycled that might otherwise go to landfill.

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$6,390 Installed a glass recycling option for rural residents that don’t have kerbside collections in the Rotomā and Rotoiti lakes areas.

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Glass storage bunkers at Taumarunui Transfer Station GPF grant

$28,000 helped Ruapehu District Council replace their old wooden storage bunkers that were causing glass to be lost to landfill due to contamination.

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$29,000 Improved the refillable system for beer lovers at five The Beer Spot locations.

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$500 Built a shed where students at Opunake high school can bottle their seaweed fertiliser in reused bottles to sell to their community.

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Join the movement

If you’re a business packaging or importing products in glass, or importing glass containers, together we can improve your environmental impact in Aotearoa New Zealand. Join us!

Become a Member

Apply for a grant

Do you have a project that will help Aotearoa to recover, reuse and recycle more glass? Fill in our grant application form or contact us for more information.

Apply for a grant

Latest News

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Glass is a circular resource that with the right systems in place can be reused and recycled again and again. Find out more about how we’re turning good into great.

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The Glass Packaging Forum is part of The Packaging Forum.