UK-bottled wine cuts carbon emissions

A programme in the wine industry to cut the carbon footprint of importing wine has been a huge success, with carbon emissions reduced by 28,000 tonnes in less than two years.

The first phase of the Glassrite Wine project launched in the summer of 2006, and ran until March of this year.

It saw major co-operation between UK retailers, the international wine industry, and glass manufacturers, all keen to reduce carbon emissions.

Glassrite promotes the use of mass importing and lightweight glass bottles.

Funded by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme), and managed by British Glass, Glassrite has seen carbon emissions reductions equivalent to taking 8,500 cars off the road.

The amount of glass being recycled in the UK has increased to 24,000 tonnes every year, whilst the introduction of lightweight packaging has seen the amount of glass used in bottles cut back by 11,400 tonnes.

Furthermore, the number of bottles filled with wine in the UK has increased from 120 million to 199 million per year.

350 labels of wine have introduced the use of lightweight bottles.