Scotland’s Circular Economy Investment Fund to support on flat glass recycling innovation – launch event announced

Event: Funding the development of a flat glass recovery network and supporting innovations for Scotland – register for FREE now.

Although glass can be recycled back to glass indefinitely in a closed loop, most glazing, refurbishment and demolition glass waste currently ends up as aggregate in roads (if it avoids landfill). While this is a form of recycling, far more energy and carbon dioxide emissions would be saved if this glass was used to make new glass: every tonne of glass recycled back to glass saves 246 kg of carbon dioxide emissions. It also reduces the amount of energy used to make glass.

As part of its work under the FISSAC project, British Glass has been working with Zero Waste Scotland to identify practical measures that would enable more flat glass to be re-melted and made into new glass products.

Increased recycling of flat glass could generate additional cullet not just for flat glass products – but for use in container, ballotini and other glass.  

Working with Zero Waste Scotland, British Glass will be co-hosting a free workshop on 24 October at Construction Scotland Innovation Centre’s pioneering Innovation Factory on the Hamilton International Technology Park in Lanarkshire, near Glasgow. The event will bring together key stakeholders in Scotland, including glass and glazing manufacturers, window fabricators and fitters, construction and demolition contractors and recyclers.

Guests will include the Vlakglas foundation, which operates the successful, nationwide flat glass recycling system in the Netherlands that collected 70,000 tonnes of cullet for remelt last year. There will be opportunities to speak to other stakeholders, find out more about the match funding, and build consortiums for applications to the fund.

British Glass is already a partner in a €9million European project to create economically viable sources of raw materials from industrial and construction waste, through which is has been working to identify solutions to increase recycling of flat glass waste in Europe.

British Glass Environmental Advisor, Valli Murthy said:

“This Zero Waste Scotland funding represents a significant commitment to Scotland’s circular economy and low carbon ambitions. Given the energy and CO2 savings of recycling glass – 246 kg of carbon dioxide emissions for every tonne of glass recycled back to glass – there are strong environmental and business drivers to recycle more flat glass. We urge our own members and other interested organisations to take advantage of this valuable opportunity.”

Zero Waste Scotland is inviting small or medium businesses to develop innovative and transformational solutions to flat glass recovery and recycling in Scotland. This will focus on closed loop recycling and learning lessons from other national systems. Examples of projects eligible for funding include :

• recycling trials in individual companies or cities
• Scotland-wide schemes to collect waste flat glass from construction processes or demolition
• innovative technologies or practices that can significantly improve the business case for collecting and recycling flat glass by making it easier, quicker or more economically viable.

While grant applications must be led by a small or medium businesses, larger organisations can be included as part of the consortium. The deadline for initial applications is 28 November 2017. Zero Waste Scotland will offer support to develop these.

Notes

The event Funding the development for a flat glass recovery network and supporting innovations for Scotland will take place on Tuesday 24 October at the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre. Find out more and book at www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/content/event-funding-development-flat-glass-recovery-network-and-supporting-innovations-scotland

The £18 million Circular Economy Investment Fund, administered by Zero Waste Scotland, offers investment for SMEs based in Scotland and supports work that will deliver circular economy growth. It’s backed by funds from the Scottish Government and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Find out more from www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/circular-economy/investment-fund-flat-glass-recovery

The FISSAC project is working to increase recycling of construction waste by partnering with the manufacturing, demolition and construction sectors to trial the use of secondary raw materials made from glass, ceramic, slags, stone, rubber, plastic and wood wastes.

The FISSAC project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement no 642154.

Find out more about the project as a whole at www.fissacproject.eu