WRAP Providing Help to Boost Glass Recycling in UK

The toolkit is available online.

The toolkit is aimed at existing providers of recycling or trade waste collection services, although WRAP does note that other groups can benefit from the information.

Andy Dawe, Materials Sector Manager for WRAP’s Glass program, says: “When you calculate the volumes of glass going to waste in monetary terms, £9 million is an unbelievable amount. The market is a real opportunity to be exploited and will doubtless continue to grow as waste management costs increase. It also represents a real opportunity for companies to play a proactive part in increasing glass recycling in their area.

“The toolkit is so easy to use and includes a section that calculates how profitable it could be for a company looking to set up a collection service. We have also taken the opportunity to include a section for the licensed premises themselves to highlight the potential waste disposal cost savings. WRAP truly believes this is a win-win opportunity for all involved.”

The contents of the toolkit reflect this market scope and include sections such as:

* the practicalities – how the licensed retail trade is structured, how to recruit LREs into the business, what can be collected and how;

* the service – how to overcome the barriers and sell the benefits of glass recycling as well as produce relevant contracts; and

* the economics – how many LREs are needed to make the business viable, what quality of glass should be collected and who can it be sold onto.

WRAP reports that industry feedback on the toolkit has been positive. Emma Rees, Office Manager for glass recycling company, ECT Commercial, said "Overall the guide is fantastic and we really could have done with something like this when we were first setting up our own LRE glass recycling.”

Mark Gregory, procurement manager for Viridor Glass Recycling, also adds: "I'm impressed with the attention to detail and obvious understanding of the problems any glass collector will be faced with. The toolkit is easy to follow with useful and important information."