Keltbray is working with Saint-Gobain Glass UK and Ireland to collect glass waste – known as cullet – from a London project for closed-loop recycling as part of a glass recycling programme.
The contractors will collect the cullet from 1 Victoria Street for developer Stanhope.
According to Keltbray, only 1% of glass waste from construction and demolition is recycled into new glass, and much of it is often ‘downcycled’ into sand or aggregates.
Collecting glass for recycling requires an alternative strip-out methodology and tight process control as common materials associated with demolition, such as plasterboard, can contaminate the cullet, making it unsuitable for remanufacturing into new glazing solutions.
The reuse of cullet in the production of new glass reduces the quantity of raw materials required. It also reduces energy requirements at the furnace during production, as cullet can be melted at lower temperatures than raw materials.
Saint-Gobain Glass estimates that each tonne of cullet salvaged saves enough energy to power the average home for six months, and prevents 300kg of CO2e from entering the atmosphere.
Closed-loop recycling of the glass was specified on this project at the tender stage by Stanhope, supported by an appraisal carried out by Arup and enabled by the Keltbray team through the partnership with Saint-Gobain Glass.
