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Circular Economy

The European Container Glass manufacturing is a genuine circular model, which perfectly fits with the EU’s ambition to build a circular economy to ensure that waste is prevented and the resources used are kept productive for as long as possible.

The EU Packaging & Packaging Waste Directive and the Waste Framework Directive are the cornerstones of EU legislation on packaging design and packaging waste management. By introducing a waste hierarchy, setting packaging recycling targets, and mandating separate collection, EU waste legislation has played a key role in developing efficient recycling systems in the EU and driving design for recycling and reuse.

Discover our Positions

FEVE & FERVER joint position paper on recycled content

05 October 2021
The EU is reviewing the Packaging Directive and considering recycled content targets, while glass packaging manufacturers and recyclers are committed to a circular economy.

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Closed Loop Glass Recycling in Europe: why DRS is not the way forward

04 June 2021
Evidence shows that DRS does not maximize recycling of glass and could have negative consequences.

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Packaging Value Chain calls on the EU to allocate adequate resources to the revision of the PPWD

16 April 2021
Packaging value chain associations express concerns to European Commission about timing and resources for Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive review.

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Glass sand – UNI test method for the determination of non-glass inorganic material

05 November 2020
Glass sand, made from ground up waste glass and ceramic fragments, can be used in glass production.

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Glass Industry calls on ENVI MEPs to Close the Loop

15 October 2020
FEVE supports European Commission’s Circular Economy Action Plan and urges European Parliament’s Environment Committee to consider promoting infinite recycling, toxic-free circularity, and optimal collection for closed loop recycling of food and beverage packaging.

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EU Packaging Value Chain Paper calls for integrity of EU Single Market

18 September 2020
Industry groups unite to defend Single Market for packaging and goods amid national provisions, risking EU sustainability goals. European Commission and Member States must act to prevent erosion.

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Position on the new Circular Economy Action Plan

02 June 2020
European container glass industry supports and participates in the Committee of the Regions’ consultation on the new Circular Economy Action Plan, calling for amendments to close the loop on packaging in Europe.

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Position Paper: Consultation on the Circular Economy Action Plan 2.0

May 2020
European Commission adopts Circular Economy Action Plan as part of European Green Deal, focusing on design and production for a circular economy, involving business and stakeholder community.

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EU’s Circular Economy Roadmap and Action Plan

02 January 2020
European Container Glass Industry supports Commission’s Circular Economy roadmap and action plan, committed to collaborating and calling for support in achieving goals and contributing to European Green Deal and UN Sustainable Development Goals.

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Deposit Return Systems – not a universal solution

09 December 2019
Deposit return systems (DRS) for recycling one-way bottles misleadingly marketed as systems for reusable packaging

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Long-term strategy for Europe’s industrial future

26 November 2019
Industry4Europe coalition releases joint paper on EU industrial strategy with recommendations in 7 areas; calls for ambitious, long-term plan to support innovative, sustainable industry.

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Statement on the recyclability of coloured glass bottles

12 November 2019
Glass bottles are available in a large range of colours but only three of them are mainstream and represent the vast majority of the bottles on the EU market.

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Extended producer responsibility schemes and eco-modulated fees

29 October 2019
European glass, steel, and aluminum packaging industries support development of secondary legislation on ecomodulated fees for collection, sorting, and recycling of packaging waste based on circularity.

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Open letter on Scotland’s Recycling DRS scheme

09 September 2019
FEVE signs open letter to Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary addressing concerns about inclusion of glass in proposed Scottish deposit return system.

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Report on the recycling Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) in Scotland

September 2019
A report to inform the debate on the potential impact of the introduction of DRS systems in Scotland.

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Recycling Rate rather than Recycled Content

03 July 2019
European glass industry prioritizes increasing availability of high-quality, color-separated cullet for bottle-to-bottle recycling.

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Requirements for packaging and permanent materials

08 June 2019
The Circular Economy Package and revision of the EU Waste Framework Directive and Packaging & Packaging Waste Directive aim to create circular economies for packaging through waste prevention, reuse, and recycling targets.

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Packaging Supply Chain Principles on EPR fee modulation & review of packaging requirements

29 May 2019
In context of EU Circular Economy Package and revised Waste Framework Directive and Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive, 57 organizations share guiding principles and recommendations for policy initiatives, including definition of “necessary costs” for litter clean-up and EPR fee modulation.

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Future development of PEF: Glass industry welcomes the opportunity to contribute

20 December 2018
Container glass industry welcomes chance to contribute to future development of Product Environmental Footprint method.

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Internal Market for Packaged Goods under threat

29 August 2017
FEVE joined 65 organizations to call to protect the Internal Market legal base for the proposed amendment to the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD). The PPWD helps prevent barriers to the free movement of goods and ensures environmental requirements are consistent across the European single market. The amendment aims to promote resource efficiency in the supply chain for packaged goods.

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Stakeholder consultation on Chemical, Product, Waste Interface

7 July 2017
Chemicals, products, and waste should be the focus of food packaging work; only safe, recyclable materials should be used; closed-loop systems and permanent materials should be incentivized; environmental footprint methodology should consider chemical contaminants.

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Call for an ambitious measurement point for glass recycling

20 January 2017
EXPRA, EURIC, FERVER, and FEVE support a single, harmonized calculation methodology for glass recycling in all Member States to increase the quality and efficiency of the glass recycling value chain.

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FEVE recommendations on the Circular Economy Package

20 January 2017
The European Container Glass Industry has recommended key circular economy measures for policymakers ahead of vote. Glass is a permanent, recycled material and strong partnerships are needed to maintain quality and efficiency.

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From target policy to Circular Economy

27 May 2016
European Container Glass Industry pioneers circular economy with recycled glass use and waste collection advocacy. Partnerships maintain recycled material quality and efficiency.

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EU Circular Economy – Industry position

01 July 2015
The European container glass industry supports the circular economy and recycling used bottles and jars to make new ones without loss of quality.

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Joint Statement on the EU’s 2015 Work Programme

07 January 2015
The signatories support the Circular Economy package for its environmental, economic, and social benefits. The package provides a strong basis for democratic discussion during the legislative process.

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FEVE letter to President Juncker: Circular economy package

12 November 2014
Letter to President Juncker requesting support for the Circular Economy Package.

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FEVE Position on EU Waste Policy Revision

15 May 2014
The glass packaging industry supports a “zero waste” policy, higher recycling targets, and separate collection to transition to a circular economy. Glass is a permanent resource that can be infinitely recycled or used for reusable packaging. The current review of EU waste directives is an opportunity to push for zero waste in Europe.

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Position paper on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

02 December 2013
Packaging producers, producers and importers of packaged goods, and retailers have legal and financial responsibility to recycle products through appropriate national schemes. They should have a full view of how financial resources are used.

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European container glass industry position on the EC proposal for a packaging and packaging waste regulation

16 March 2023
EU glass container manufacturers support packaging recyclability and circularity goals. Glass is infinitely recyclable, actually recycled and widely reused. Some PPWR measures may have unintended consequences though.

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To close the loop and achieve a complete circular economy for packaging in Europe, FEVE recommends:

– Promoting infinite recycling and the role of permanent materials: Glass is a “permanent material”, whose inherent properties do not change, regardless of the number of times it goes through a recycling process. It means that once it is produced for the first time, and properly collected and processed at its end of life, it becomes the raw material for new and endless production loops. Such materials are and will remain at the heart of any proven and well-functioning Circular Economy.

– Enhancing circularity in a toxic-free environment: To foster trust in the market for secondary raw materials, and the uptake of recycled material it is essential that, when recycled especially into food contact materials, recycled materials do not pose any threat to public health and food safety. Glass is inert and in addition does not lose its safety properties no matter how many times it is recycled, hence contributing to a toxic-free environment.

 

– Optimising separate collection for closed-loop recycling for food, beverage, cosmetics, perfumery and pharma packaging: The way packaging is collected directly impacts the quantity and quality of the collected materials that can be recycled. Separate collection and sorting are therefore the prerequisite to guaranteeing high-quality closed-loop recycling. Closed loop bottle to bottle recycling ensures that packaging materials used in the packaging sector go back into the same product packaging loop to provide the same standards of product preservation and consumer health. For glass recycling, Extended Producer Responsibility schemes are proven to be the most effective approach (e.g. the bottle bank system for glass packaging has achieved over 90% collection in several countries already).

– Addressing waste prevention. Reuse and refillable systems are one way to avoid waste.  Glass is the leading refillable packaging system for food and beverages.  It is inert and durable which makes it an excellent option for reusable packaging in Europe in particular for local products serving local markets.

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Glass is made from natural ingredients – making it best for preserving taste and quality​. As a tasteless and odourless material with no chemical interaction, glass prevents the transfer.

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