The world’s third largest household glassware producer, fifth largest glass packaging and flat glass producer Şişecam Group implemented the “Glass is Glass Again” project in 2011, one of the most extensive sustainability and social responsibility projects of Turkey, based on the fact that glass is the most sustainable packaging material. Within the scope of this project, the group has recycled 1 million tons of glass wastes since 2011 which has prevented 1 million tons of glass – in other words 6 billion pieces of glass bottles – from going to waste during these 7 years.
During this period, more than 20 thousand glass banks were supplied to municipalities for use, and awareness training was given to more than 250 thousand primary school students.
Glass, which absolutely does not interact with the product inside and accordingly, which is the healthiest packaging material, not only contributes to the environment with its recycling capability, but also saves fuel and energy. Today, as the concept of sustainability acquires more importance, glass packaging is defined as the “most sustainable packaging material” with all its characteristics.
Moreover, carbon emission prevented equals to 384 thousand cars taken off the roads.
The use of cullet at the rate of 10% as input in the glass production, provides a reduction of 12% in the raw materials, 2.5% in energy and 5% in carbon emissions. With glass, which is a packaging material that can be recycled 100% without any quality loss, it is sufficient to use 1 glass bottle waste as input in order to produce 1 glass bottle. By recycling 1 glass bottle, it is possible to save electricity energy that can operate a computer for 25 minutes, a television for 20 minutes.
The contributions of the Glass is Glass Again project aiming the transition to a recycling society, to environment within the frame of the works carried out since 2011 are as follows:
- with the Glass and Glass Again project, carbon emission, which equals to the air cleaned by 33 million trees in one year, is prevented;
- energy at a level to provide for the heating and hot water needs of 44,747 houses for one year, is saved;
- in raw material use, sand, which would create a beach of 10 meters wide 112 kilometres long, is saved.
One of the most established enterprises in Turkey, Şişecam Group is a global actor in business fields including all main areas of glass industry, i.e. flat glass, glassware, glass packaging and glass fiber, as well as soda and chromium chemicals. Today Şişecam, the world’s leading supplier of chromium compounds and the 10th largest soda ash producer in the world, is the 3rd largest glassware, the 5th largest glass packaging and flat glass manufacturer globally.
The Group, which has 43 production facilities in total, has manufacturing activities in Turkey, Germany, Italy, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Russian Federation, Georgia, Ukraine, Egypt and India. With its more than 80 years of experience, 22,000 employees, production in 13 countries, and sales in 150 countries, Şişecam is a group at international scale and continues on its journey to become one of top three global producers in its all-main business fields.