Environment Minister David Benson-Pope has welcomed the decision by O-I New Zealand to invest NZD 78M in an additional glass furnace in Auckland as good news for recyclers, local government, the packaging industry, & the environment. "The new furnace will mean more glass recycling, more markets for recovered glass, & more glass manufacturing in Auckland", he said, adding: "Every year, O-I NZ's Auckland facility recycles around 71,000 tonnes of used glass into new bottles & jars. The new furnace will help us meet the 55% recovery target for glass under the Packaging Accord 2004". The Packaging Accord, signed in August 2004, has a 5y duration & aims to minimise the environmental impact of packaging. More than 200 organisations have signed up to the Accord, representing the majority of New Zealand's packaging production & supermarket sector.
