In the EU, the recycling rate across all materials is significantly lower than in Germany. The difference is particularly striking in the case of plastic.
Non-returnable glass creates the highest CO@ emissions of all types of packaging. When it is manufactured from scratch rather than recycled, they are especially high.
Germany's glass recycling rate of glass in Germany is high and stable. However, other materials are doing much better. Paper and plastic are now almost completely recycled.
"Using recycled glass saves energy to an appreciable extent"
The CO2 footprint of glass is clearly determined by its recycled content: Using waste glass saves a significant amount of energy because it takes much less energy to melt down waste glass than to produce new glass from sand. This means that it is in glass manufacturers' interest to achieve the highest possible recycling rate. The colour of the glass also plays a role here, because the recycling rate is usually highest in green glass and can be as high as 90%. In Germany, glass has a relatively high rate of recycling. However, what really matters is the energy efficiency of the plants and the energy sources used by the glassworks.
Dr. Helena Ponstein, Klimaneutraler Wein
Sources: Statista 2023 with data from Eurostat, GVM/BMUV, Nabu
