Owens-Illinois who are the world’s largest manufacturer of glass packaging have released results on a global study on the life cycle of glass containers. Their analysis allowed a cradle-to-cradle life cycle assessment on aluminum and plastic (PET) containers so that a comparison could be made between the different packaging materials. The life cycle model was tested and validated by AMR research to confirm the findings.

O-I’s results proved that glass was a clear leader for having the most favorable carbpn footprint. Their insight states that the reduction in emissions brought about by the use of recycled glass in the production of new glass containers more than offsets emissions resulting from finished goods transportation.

So what are the environmental benefits of glass?

  1. It is made from pure, abundant natural resources which include; sand, limestone, and soda ash.
  2. It is re-usable and infinitely recyclable.
  3. On average a refillable glass bottle is typically re-used 20-30 times.
  4. This in turn lowers landfill waste and the recycled glass yields immediate energy and carbon emissions savings.
  5. Every 10% of recycled glass used in production results in approximately 5% reduction in carbon emissions and energy savings of about 3%.

Wine-Bag’s Directors Comments:

“If glass is the preferred and most environmentally efficient method of wine storage then research needs to continue in how to further improve its recyclability and effectiveness globally.”

Online research has shown that wine drinking consumers prefer to drink their wine from a bottle, with preference for a glass thereafter. Consumers ranked wine in glass first for picnics, barbeques parties but most importantly for house warming gifts, birthday gifts, dinner parties and wedding gifts.

Wine-Bag’s Directors comments:

“With so many people enjoying handing out wine bottles as gifts, and more often than not, with a bag or a box to accompany and embellish the bottle itself. All these findings only help to prove that we are in right business to help our consumers give that added touch of elegance when they are generously giving wine related products as gifts.”