Reuse, remanufacturing, recycling: the case of glass for buildings

6. Conclusions

Glass for Europe recognizes the interest in reusing/remanufacturing flat glass when it is technically achievable and can effectively reduce CO2 emissions during the whole life cycle. There are, however, many considerations to apprehend and technical constraints that limit the potential for reuse and remanufacturing of flat glass products.

• Technically speaking, choosing whether to reuse, remanufacture, or transform old glazing in cullet to produce new glass panes (recycling) depends on the quality of the used product, which cannot be known upfront when dismantling buildings. Besides, the industry has little practical experience with reuse/remanufacturing practices. For instance, the protocol to follow for reuse has not yet been researched extensively. As of today, used products need to be assessed by flat glass experts with the competence and experience to evaluate what is feasible.

• The industrialization of different processes needed for reuse and remanufacturing may also be difficult or even impossible in some cases.

• From a sustainability point of view, evaluating whether reuse/remanufacturing activities are advantageous must be done for each project, considering the whole life cycle of products and buildings in which the glass will be used and be declared following European standards (EN 15804:2012+A2:2019/AC:2021 and EN 17074).

• Finally, this paper does not address the legal aspects surrounding the reuse/remanufacturing of used products, which is something needed. Various aspects would need to be scrutinized, e.g., the assessment procedures to guarantee the performance of flat glass products, the distribution of responsibilities for the making and usage of dismantled products or the rules regarding their transport among EU member states.

For the reasons explained above, reuse and remanufacturing, although potentially highly sustainable end-of-life treatments are likely to remain niche practices, adapted for very specific end-of-life flat glass products to be used in bespoke applications. The most sustainable option for managing large quantities of end-of-life flat glass rather lies in closed-loop recycling. Glass for Europe calls on EU authorities to work with industry to develop adequate closed-loop recycling infrastructures.

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Please note that this document does not cover the whole portfolio of glass types. Other types of glass products might be adapted for reuse or remanufacturing provided that the needed processes are applicable and that the final product satisfies legislative requirements and customer expectations.