GlazingRecovery.org – the future of glass recycling

Eckersley O’Callaghan, a specialist in innovative engineering and sustainable solutions, has launched GlazingRecovery.org, an online platform aimed at transforming the recycling process of architectural glass.

The initiative is aiming to revolutionise the glass supply chain by fostering a circular economy where waste is minimised, and resources are reused.

According to Eckersley O’Callaghan, architectural glass may typically have a long lifecycle, but a substantial amount of material is still discarded after building renovations or demolitions, instead of being recycled.

GlazingRecovery.org has been launched to address this issue by bridging the gap between glass production and recycling, ensuring post-consumer glass re-enters the supply chain instead of ending up in landfills.

The platform was created to unite various stakeholders within the glass supply chain, including producers, installers, and re-processors. Currently, smaller glass installers are said to often lack direct access to recycling networks, leading to significant waste. GlazingRecovery.org serves as a central hub, providing an interactive map that connects these stakeholders and helps them locate nearby recycling facilities, making glass recycling more efficient and accessible.

Eckersley O’Callaghan says that GlazingRecovery.org is more than just a directory – describing it as a strategic initiative designed to transform how the construction industry handles glass. And by promoting collaboration between the pre-consumer and post-consumer glass industries, the platform fosters a more sustainable approach to glass recycling.

It also educates users on best practices for glass removal and separation, crucial for producing high-quality recycled glass, or cullet, which meets the rigorous standards required by manufacturing.

Collaboration with the glass sector has been from other consultants (ARUP and Thornton Tomasetti) Flat glass manufacturers (Guardian, Saint-Gobain and Pilkington) and trade associations (British Glass, Glass and Glazing Federation and FENSA) and others both up and down the supply chain.

However, Eckersley O’Callaghan emphasises that the success of the platform hinges on widespread industry engagement. By continuing to build a network of committed partners and promoting best practices, GlazingRecovery.org aims to divert the estimated 500,000 tonnes of glass removed from buildings annually away from landfills.