200-tonne recycling landmark

Morley Glass and Glazing has prevented more than 200 tonnes of post-consumer glass from going to landfill and 64,226kg of CO₂ emissions from going into the atmosphere, while raising money for green projects.

The recycling landmark was reached after the sealed unit manufacturer dedicated part of its Leeds manufacturing space earlier this year to serve as a collection centre for waste glass, or cullet, which it then returns to Saint-Gobain Glass to be reused in the manufacture of new glass.

All the money Morley Glass receives for the cullet is placed in a green fund and donated in £500 grants to support charities looking to invest in environmental and sustainable initiatives.

Using recycled glass has a direct and positive impact on the environment and the amount of energy used in the glass manufacturing process. A furnace melting recycled glass will require 30% less energy than one which is melting raw materials, and using one tonne of cullet can save up to 1.2 tonnes of raw material, including 850kg of sand.

This means that CO₂ emissions can be reduced by approximately 300kg, which is equivalent to the amount of energy needed to power the average home for six months. This means Morley Glass has recycled enough cullet to power an average home for 100 years.

When Morley Glass and Glazing heard that Saint-Gobain Glass had decided to increase the amount of cullet used in its float glass production and needed to find a way to obtain it quickly and easily, the business knew it could help.

So, whenever Morley customers take delivery of their integral blinds, they can then use the company’s empty delivery vehicles to send the waste glass they have removed from residential properties back to the Morley collection centre. The cullet return scheme saves Morley Glass customers the cost and inconvenience of disposing waste glass via landfill or other commercial recycling schemes, which may charge for the service.

Ian Short, managing director at Morley Glass and Glazing, said: “We still have a long way to go in our green journey but we hope that by sharing our experiences we’ll be able to inspire others to do the same. 2020 has been an unprecedented year for many industries, but we hope to be able to continue making a difference where we can. It makes perfect sense to recycle post-manufacturing and post-consumer glass, and the added benefit is that local good causes will also benefit.”

Learn more about the cullet return scheme here:
www.morleyglass.co.uk/glass-recycling-leeds/