Led by local waste management company SICOVAD, O-I France, and the R-Play Association, a cultural association, the summer campaign will bring local artists to neighbourhoods near O-I’s Gironcourt plant to create artwork on the glass recycling containers. The artists will decorate the recycling containers live on various Wednesdays, and their art will feature sustainability themes presented in “street art” styles. Representatives from SICOVAD and O-I Gironcourt will answer questions about glass, highlighting its role in the circular economy. These local events are open to the public.
Expanding public understanding of the value of glass recycling and encouraging participation in recycling glass is an essential component of O-I’s sustainability journey. The Containers Tour 2021 creates a robust and meaningful partnership between O-I and SICOVAD, promoting sustainable development, local employment, and how glass is the perfect material for the circular economy.
“We are proud to be part of this project. Glass is a key player in the circular economy, as it can be recycled endlessly,” said Frédéric Dernicourt, Plant Manager of O-I Gironcourt. “O-I continues to invest in the Vosges, with the recent construction of a new furnace. It is a key player in the local and circular economy. As such, O-I wants to support local projects and artists. It’s interesting for the glassworks to have access to as much recycled glass as possible, as every 10 percent of recycled glass used reduces CO2 emissions by about 5 percent.”
The Containers Tour 2021 will visit 20 communities in the region. Event organizers want the public to understand that the recycled glass collected in these containers will not be sent out of the area but will be reused locally. The O-I plant of Gironcourt uses 88 percent of recycled glass sourced from local communities to produce new bottles.
O-I is focused on the future, the company’s vision is to be the most sustainable producer of the most sustainable rigid packaging. In its use of recycled glass, O-I France is helping strengthen the region’s circular economy.