Recycle Glass: glass as a traditional material for future generations
Glass is a fascinating material that is one of the oldest and most versatile discoveries of mankind. Its undeniable advantages include unique properties such as transparency, strength, durability, functionality, aesthetic design, easy maintenance and 100% recyclability. Thanks to this, it ensures a wide range of uses and has been used as a traditional material in the packaging and construction industries for centuries.
The path to sustainability with AGC RECYCLE GLASS
AGC considers sustainability to be a fundamental part of its corporate social values and a prerequisite for all its activities. It therefore develops products and services that significantly contribute to a sustainable future. One of these is the new AGC RECYCLE GLASS service – a program for collecting waste flat glass from industrial losses, renovation projects and dismantling.
The aim of the program is to recycle flat glass in a closed recycling loop. This means that end-of-life flat glass in the form of windows, facade parts or railings is returned to the production of flat glass of the highest quality.
AGC's cooperation with a major regional window manufacturer CASTOR plus sro and BestOn Cz , sro, a specialist in the collection and transport of glass cullet with almost 30 years of experience in the field, successfully launched at the beginning of the year and continues continuously. The first implemented projects clearly confirmed that this synergy effectively fulfills its goal: to reliably capture used building flat glass and return it back to glass furnaces.
Recycle service Does Glass work in practice?
When replacing old windows, they do not have to – and from a legislative point of view, they should not – end up in landfills. The waste disposer should ensure their recycling to the greatest extent possible. Although the costs of landfill fees are often equal to the costs of transporting, sorting and cleaning the glass, participation in the program is clearly worthwhile for companies. It brings them undeniable advantages in the form of reducing indirect CO₂ emissions ( Scope 3 category), better status in ESG reporting and, last but not least, fulfilling the basic legislative requirement for waste prevention.
AGC is able to ensure the receipt of end-of-life glass by collecting glass waste from its customers or directly on site during dismantling or demolition. This is possible thanks to the partnership with BestOn . After cleaning and quality control, the flat glass is reused directly in production at AGC plants.
Every link in the supply chain matters
The high quality requirements for flat glass require that no contaminants be returned to the glass furnace. That is why AGC works exclusively with recyclers who guarantee the delivery of perfectly clean cullet.
Modern windows made of insulating glass are usually equipped with invisible metal coatings to increase insulation properties or protect against overheating. In order for the glass filling to become a high-quality shard suitable for remelting, the glass must first be freed from window frames, spacers and sealants. Sandblasted and acid-etched glass, patterned glass and laminated safety glass can also be recycled.
It is essential that the demolition plan already contains precise instructions for collection, sorting and transport. This eliminates the risks of incorrect mixing of raw materials and reduces the costs of subsequent cleaning. Waste glass mixed with the remains of construction materials (concrete, rubble, stones, metal, wood, plastic, ceramics or other glass products such as bottles) cannot be used for the production of flat glass. This is because contamination has a fatal effect on the quality of new glass.
Currently, a large amount of construction glass waste is unnecessarily downcycled (ending up in less demanding packaging or insulation materials). Therefore, it is crucial to ensure 100% purity of cullet at all collection steps so that the glass can be used to its maximum potential.
The main benefits of flat glass recycling
The future of glass
With the growing emphasis on ecology and sustainability, glass is becoming a key material of the future. Thanks to its infinite recyclability and constant technological innovation, it will play an increasingly important role in modern architecture and our daily lives. Glass is no longer just a traditional element - it is a carrier of progress, clean design and responsibility towards the planet.
Please contact us to assess your project from the perspective of collecting old glass fillings.
AGC Flat Glass Czech, e-mail: pavel.shejbal@agc.com.
