The Carbon Impact of Wine Packaged in PET and Glass

The Carbon Impact of Wine Packaged in PET and Glass

An independent report by Best Foot Forward, commissioned by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme), was published on 13 March 2008 providing the results of the first UK study into the carbon impact of bottling wine in the UK in glass and PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles.

The study compared the carbon impact of 75cl glass and PET wine bottles:

PET bottle of 45g with 0% recycled content

Typical glass bottle of 496g with 81% recycled content

A lightweighted glass bottle of 365g with 81% recycled content

The study of the manufacturing and transportation ‘life’ of the two types of bottles shows that lightweighted glass bottles with a high recycled content produces broadly the same amount of greenhouse gas as the much lighter PET bottle. This is because the higher CO₂ emissions arising from the manufacture of PET bottles offsets much of the savings obtained from its lower weight. For both glass and PET bottles it also showed that incorporating recycled content also decreases greenhouse gas emissions.

 

 Two other scenario comparisons are also made in the full report: that of a 365g glass bottle with 92% recycled content and PET bottles with 50% and 100% recycled content. In both these scenarios, excluding or including end-of-life, the emissions attributed to the 54g PET bottle lie within the range of emissions attributable to the 365g glass bottle.

Rebecca Cocking, Recycling Manager of British Glass, said in response to the report: “We are very encouraged by the findings of this independent report which may help dispel some of the unfavourable criticism that glass packaging is receiving currently with regard to its weight.  We are pleased to know that all the efforts the glass industry has made to reduce its carbon footprint are being successful in terms of both recycling and lightweighting.

“All glass bottles have a significant amount of recycled content, on average over 60% in glass packaging sold in the UK, and therefore could easily meet the levels suggested in the study so long as good quality cullet is obtained from the consumer waste stream.”

 

“And of course, glass is the consumers’ choice for quality; they like its visual appeal and its feel. Glass is pure, inert, protects its contents so well it allows a long shelf life while keeping its products fresh and does not feature in the debate over ‘excess packaging’.”

The full report is available on the WRAP website: www.wrap.org.uk/retail

Notes to Editors

1. British Glass

The British Glass Manufacturers’ Confederation represents the interests of all sectors of the glass industry in the UK. Its main activity is in representing the industry at European, national and local level on a wide range of topical legislative issues. It also conducts independent research into all aspects of glass production and technology.

2. Glass Containers

Glass is infinitely recyclable and containers are made either from cullet or low-cost plentiful and locally sourced raw materials. Weight reduction has been significant and every tonne saved in weight reduction or closed-loop recycling saves 322kWh of energy, 246kg of CO₂ and the need to quarry 1.2 tonnes of virgin raw materials. Glass has a proven track record established over thousands of years and is the packaging material for the future – a pure and sustainable future.