Minor point, but unless it has changed, the Germans require that 72 percent of
beverages be sold in refillable containers. If I remember correctly, this includes
virtually all beverages, meaning rates for beer and soft drinks are actually much
higher. Since PET and glass are the primary containers for soft drinks, this makes
sense. Both are refilled then recycled almost 100 percent of the time. Aluminum is
making slight inroads, but in general the Germans consider aluminum too energy
intensive to waste on packaging applications. Beer is almost all in refillable
glass. Fruit juice and milk are the two culprits. Some buy both in refillable
containers, but the numbers are pretty low. Juice is mostly in asceptic boxes that
are now recycled c/o Duales requirements and two different recycling processes that
have been developed -- admittedly high cost solutions. The situation is pretty much
the same in the Netherlands. Weight and space-savings make the boxes, and PET
bottles, appealing to shoppers on foot and bike, and in walk up apartments.
I'll be in England in a couple weeks. Anything I should watch for?
Cindy Pollock Shea
Pat Franklin wrote:
> FYI on refillables . . .
>
> Jerry has already filled everyone in on Beer Institute stats but here are a
> few more tidbits.
>
> BEER
>
> 1) In 1977 12% of beer sold in the US was in refillable bottles
> 2) About 80 percent of packaged beer in Canada is sold in refillable bottles.
> 3) 16% of beer in MA (a bottle bill state) as Jerry P pointed out is sold
> in refillables. This is primarily due to the fact (it is assumed) that
> refillables are exempt from the MA bottle bill, which means that the
> distributors get to keep the unclaimed deposits rather than turning them
> over to the state).
>
> SOFT DRINKS
>
> Refillable soda bottles are in broad use in W Europe, but the soft drink
> industry is working overtime to dismantle the system. Germany requires all
> beverages to maintain a certain % of their beverage containers in
> refillables (I think it's 70%). Refillable soda bottles have staged a
> comeback in Asia too, mainly due to the economy. It is more economical to
> BUY and SELL soda in refillables, if there is a reverse distribution system
> in place.
>
> We have some info on refillables on our website (www.igc.apc.org/cri/) and
> hope to be getting more up soon.
>
> Pat Franklin
> = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
>
> At 04:47 PM 1/21/99 EST, RESRECYCLE@aol.com wrote:
> >I have data regarding beer refilling by state for the period of 1977-1997
> >(1998 data are due soon) that support Bill's conclusions. Refilling in 1997
> >varied from a high of 16 percent marketshare in Massachusetts, followed by
> >Iowa at 11 percent and Connecticut at 10 percent. All are deposit states. At
> >the bottom end are 23 states at 1 percent, including Texas. Thus, just 3
> >percent of 1997 U.S. beer sales on a volume basis were in refillables.
> >
> >Jerry Powell
> >Resource Recycling Magazine
> >
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-- Cindy Pollock Shea Contributing Editor http://sustainable.state.fl.us