New ’state-of-the-art’ recycling centre for Ireland

A new top of the range glass recycling facility has been opened in Ireland this week, and will process more than 50,000 tonnes of jars and bottles every year. It has the potential to save over 15,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

The €5 million Glassco recycling plant in Nass, County Kildare, was officially opened by environment minister John Gormley, who said at the opening: “I believe that the development of plants such as this will take Ireland to the fore internationally in our efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle”

Mr. Gormley added that he is “confident” that Ireland’s “recent success in driving up recycling rates will be maintained well into the future.”

The Glassco plant will be the first of its kind in Ireland as it uses optical colour sorting technology to sort through mixed coloured glass and eliminate contaminants such as stones, ceramics, and porcelain. It will also be used to recycle other glass products such as plate glass.

Glassco’s managing director, Zeki Mustafa, said of the technology: “The process not only adds significant commercial value, but it also creates a product which can be recycled over and over again with no loss of quality.

“At present around 50% of the 120,000 tonnes of bottle and jars collected for recycling in Ireland annually are either exported as waste product or sent to alternative markets due to inadequate processing infrastructure.

“This new plant means that Ireland can substantially reduce carbon emissions.”

Glassco recycling was founded in 2001 and expects to recycle around 30,000 tonnes of glass in 2008.