Recycling glass and window frame waste

A one-year WRAP funded project aims to help increase glass recycling. BRE-led research will assess the recycling opportunities for non-contaminated, high-grade flat glass and non-contaminated timber and plastic profiles from the demolition and replacement window industries.



In case you are not familiar with WRAP, the Waste & Resources Action Programme was established in 2001 as part of the UK government’s waste strategy 2000 to promote sustainable waste management. WRAP’s particular focus is creating stable and efficient markets for recycled materials and products.



This new programme will help to address the WRAP glass-specific target to increase flat glass collection and recycling by 20,000 tonnes pa.



For the first phase of the project, two short questionnaires have been designed to establish the current types and volumes of waste flat glass and associated timber and plastics in the UK (little data is currently available).



The results will be used to inform the waste producers – eg manufacturers, installers, demolition contractors – of opportunities for diverting this waste from landfill and securing an income from this material. This information and best practice guidance will be available to the industry in early 2003 on the WRAP website (www.wrap.org.uk) and in published documents by BRE and British Glass.



Producers of flat glass waste are invited to fill out the questionnaire at:



http://tele.bre.co.uk/forms/Produce-waste.pdf, and waste managers at http://tele.bre.co.uk/forms/Manage-Waste.pdf



For paper copies of the questionnaires and more information – James Hurley, 01923 664675

E-mail hurleyj@bre.co.uk