Dilemmas in optimising the environmental benefit from recycling: A case study of glass container waste management in the UK

This paper presents an evaluation of the environmental outcomes of various options for the use of cullet with the aim of optimising the environmental benefits arising from the recycling activity. Taking energy use as a key environmental indicator, a study carried out for EMERGE Recycling in Manchester has shown that, whilst there are environmental gains to be made from substituting glass container feedstock for virgin raw material in the production of base aggregates, these gains are significantly less than those accruing from the substitution of cullet for virgin raw materials in the production of glass containers. Consequently, the paper argues that transporting household and commercial arisings of cullet for use in glass container manufacturing in EU countries, where cullet supply and demand does not suffer from the UK imbalance, provides a significantly more beneficial environmental outcome than its use as secondary feedstock for base aggregate and other building materials within the UK.