Glass Packaging Institute Launches New PR Initiative

The Glass Packaging Institute (GPI) has initiated its annual Recycle Glass Day, set for December 10, 2008. The organization has launched the event as part of an ongoing PR campaign to make people more aware of the unique properties that glass offers and the benefits of recycling glass containers.

“We hope this awareness event will result in higher levels of glass collected for recycling and create positive attitudes about recycling overall,” says Joe Cattaneo, GPI President. “Recycling is an integral part of the cradle-to-cradle process of glass packaging manufacturing. Every time a consumer recycles a glass jar or bottle, they help to save energy and our environment.”

Now on the Recycle Glass Day website, consumers can use the organization’s Carbon Calculator to find out how much carbon they save from recycling glass containers. 

GPI says the use of recycled glass in the manufacture of new glass bottles, jars, and other products actually reduces the amount of energy needed to make a new product, and because there is no limit to the number of times glass can be recycled, the environmental benefits of glass recycling are unique in the container industry.

According to GPI, for every 1% of recycled glass used, energy costs drop 0.5%. A 10% increase in recycled glass use decreases fossil fuel emissions by 2.5% and decreases particulate emissions by 7%.

Learn more about Recycle Glass Day and GPI’s YouTube Glass Recycling Video Competition at www.gpi.org/recycleglassday. 

About the Glass Packaging Institute
The Glass Packaging Institute (GPI) is the trade association representing the North American glass container industry. Through GPI, glass container manufacturers advocate industry standards, promote sound environmental policies and educate packaging professionals. www.gpi.org