Brussels beats North West in gree glass league

A new report reveals that Brits don’t have as much bottle as the Belgians when it comes to recycling glass.

The European Container Glass Federation (FEVE) says that the UK recycled only 61% of the glass it produced in 2008 compared to 96% in Belgium. 

On average, EU countries recycle 65% of their glass, but although Britain is still under-performing North West Euro-MP Chris Davies says that good progress has been made in recent years.

Davies, who leads the Liberal Democrats on the powerful Environment committee in the European Parliament, claims that recycling glass saves energy, saves raw materials, saves money and saves space in landfill sites.

"We were slow to start, and we are not there yet, but at least Britain is moving in the right direction," he said.

"Local councils have raised their game and need now to match the best that is already being achieved elsewhere in Europe."

The energy savings from recycling one glass bottle can:

• power a 60 watt bulb for 100 minutes
• Power a computer for 25 minutes
• Power a colour TV for 20 minutes
• Power a washing machine for 10 minutes
  

If the average family recycled all the glass they used in a year they would save enough energy to power a colour TV through 210 episodes of Coronation Street. *

* Information from the British Glass Manufacturers Confederation