[greenyes] Glass recovery rates -- US and Europe

["Reindl, John" <Reindl@no.address>]

In follow-up to the messages on glass recycling, I thought some data on
glass recovery rates in the US and Europe might be of interest.

According to Chaz Miller's latest data in his "Profiles in Garbage" column
in Waste Age, the glass recovery rate in the US is just over 26%
(http://wasteage.com/ar/waste_glass_containers/index.htm).

According to recent data of glass recovery in 17 European countries from the
European Glass Container Federation (FEVE), the recovery rates for these
countries in 2001 ranged from a low of 24% in Turkey (up from 13% in 1996)
to a high of 92% in Switzerland, followed closely by recovery rates of 91%
in Finland, 88% in Norway, 88% in Belgium, 87% in Germany, 84% in Sweden and
83% in Austria. For the 17 countries, the aggregate recovery rate was 62%
(http://www.affaldsinfo.dk/user/1007/4379.pdf, page 36). 

John Reindl, Recycling Manager
DaneCounty, WI