Nov. 21

The glass recycling rate increased to 28.1% in 2007, the first significant increase since around 2000, according to the Glass Packaging Institute.

The group cited U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data that showed the glass recovery rate jumped from 25.3% in 2006. Some 3.2 million tons of glass were recycled in 2007, compared with 2.9 million in 2006.

"We suspect this increase reflects higher glass bottle recycling rates in California and other states with container deposit programs," said Joe Cattaneo, president of the GPI.

The EPA´s complete report, "U.S. EPA Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for 2007," is available at www.epa.gov/osw/nonhaz/municipal/msw99.htm.

Contact Waste News reporter Joe Truini at (330) 865-6166 or jtruini@crain.com

To subscribe or visit go to:  http://www.wastenews.com