The All India Glass Manufacturers’ Federation (AIGMF) recently launched the first ever ISO 14040/44 compliant and independently reviewed cradle to-cradle Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) study on glass packaging. It has been commissioned by AIGMF and executed by PE Sustainability India, subsidiary of PE International AG, Germany.
The study affirms the green potential of glass as a packaging medium with its prospect to be the packaging medium posing the lowest hazard in human toxicity potential (HTP--toxicological impact on human), terrestric ecotoxicity potential (TETP--toxicological impact on water and soils) and photochem, ozone creation potential (POCP--interferes with ozone creation) compared to other forms of packaging.
The study was conducted by data collection from 28 furnaces representing 72 per cent of Indian glass container production. It is in line with the methodology followed for glass packaging institute (GPI) i.e. North American Glass Association and European Container Glass Federation (FEVE). It examines the impact of every stage in the life cycle of glass containers, from raw material extraction to end-use.
Based on the recommendations from the report on light weighting glass and increasing its cullet recycling, major players of the industry including glass manufacturers like Hindusthan National Glass, Piramal Glass, AGI Glaspac, Vitrum Glass are planning to take undertake measure to improve the green profile of glass.
With an aim to lower effects of glass on the environment, top glass manufacturers from across the country have come together to establish a glass’ green edge over other packaging mediums on human and environment impact parameters. These glass manufacturers plans to bring about this by initiating weight reduction of glass (light weighting) by as much as 20 per cent through deployment of international technologies like Narrow Neck Press and Blow (NNPB) technology by 2015
They also want to focus on converting from furnace oil as fuel in container glass furnaces to natural gas to 50 per cent from present 30 per cent by the next three years. This will lead to an opportunity for earning carbon credits to the tune of 1.2 million for every 10 million tonnes of production. Other initiative through which they plan to achieve their agenda is by maximising cullet recycling from current all India average of 35 per cent to 50 per cent in 2015 with expected reduction of carbon footprint by 22 per cent.
The report also suggests that there is an enormous opportunity lying in converting the fuel type in container glass furnaces from furnace oil to natural gas. Natural helps to improve furnace performance, reduces repair and maintenance, besides it is a clean fuel. The industry aims to increase natural gas based operations from present 30 per cent to 50 per cent within the same time frame of three years.
With the focus on sustainability, the LCA insights will enable manufacturers to communicate with its clients on advantages of glass not only from a product shelf life and human toxicity perspective but also from the GRI, Green Funds and Green Purchasing Programme perspective. The Study will help the industry in focusing towards an integrated product policy (IPP) approach, practicing sustainable consumption and production (SCP) modules and maintaining regulatory standards.
Mukul Somany, president, AIGMF, said, “Glass manufactures have come together through this life cycle study to magnify the green potential of glass. In European countries per capita consumption of glass is as high as 64 kg compared to India’s 1.4 kg. It is a preferred medium because of its 100 per cent naturalness and non-reactionary nature to the content. In India with the growing environmental and human toxicity concerns we have come together to enhance the latent goodness so that user industries can chose sustainable and responsible packaging.”
The glass packaging industry is valued at close to Rs. 6000 plus crore and continues to grow remarkably at a healthy rate of 8 to 10 per cent per annum. India is amongst the top 15 markets for glass packaging globally and it is the third fastest growing market after Turkey and Brazil. The industry is driven primarily by downstream demand from of its user industries such as liquor, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, cosmetics and perfumery etc.