As players in the glass industry, Verallia has a unique opportunity and mission: to transform the glass packaging sector into a model of sustainability and innovation. This is a significant challenge, but also an opportunity to build a future where industrial performance and environmental responsibility go hand in hand.
Glass is a 100 percent infinitely recyclable material without any loss of quality; it is a “permanent” material at the heart of the circular economy. However, glass production still largely relies on gas combustion, which accounts for about 80 percent of the sector’s CO2 emissions.
At Verallia, a European leader in glass packaging for beverages and food products, this transformation is at the heart of our strategy. Verallia has set an ambitious trajectory with a clear goal: to reduce scope 1 and 2 emissions by 46 percent by 2030. The company has implemented concrete initiatives:
- Commissioning the first 100 percent electric furnace in Cognac, reducing CO2 emissions by 60 percent compared to traditional furnaces.
- Deploying hybrid furnaces, powered up to 80 percent by electricity and 20 percent by gas or other decarbonized alternatives, allowing a significant reduction of 50 percent in CO2 emissions.
- Strengthening the circularity of glass with the goal of integrating 59 percent recycled cullet into production by the end of 2025.
- Development of lighter bottles that reduce the carbon impact across the entire logistics chain.
- Using biofuels and optimising energy through the installation of photovoltaic panels on several of Verallia’s sites, a syngas production plant and converting residual heat into electricity.
- Supporting glass reuse initiatives in Europe by funding projects aimed at strengthening circularity and limiting the environmental impact of the industry.
The recent FEVE report highlights that the sector’s technological advances meet the growing expectations for sustainable packaging, but an adapted regulatory framework is essential to amplify this transformation. For decarbonisation to become a reality, industrial commitment must be accompanied by ambitious public policies.
Each year, European companies in the glass packaging sector invest more than EUR 600 million to reduce their carbon footprint. To achieve this ambition, around EUR 20 billion will be needed by 2050.