Welcome to the Glass Age

125 W 8. Sustainable Glass in a Circular Economy M ichael delle S elve e all strive for a better tomorrow —a world where the planet and people are healthier and happier than they are today. In the face of global warming, public health crises and economic turbulence, that future has never felt more uncertain. But people are demanding more from businesses, governments and one another to ensure we foster a more sustainable world for the next generation. In such turbulent times, it’s reassuring to know that for product protection, one aspect of our future is clear: glass packaging. The timelessness of glass means the packaging people have loved most, yesterday and today is the very best option for tomorrow. For close to two millennia, glass has been a touchpoint of celebration, commerce, culture, and science for societies around the world —its footprint shaping local communities stretching from production lines in industrial towns, to the secretive medieval guilds of Venice’s Murano, all the way back to the Romans’ discovery of craft glassblowing. The simple, inert combination of sand, soda ash and limestone is a formula that’s worked its magic for thousands of years, and it’s very much here to stay, according to the research ‘Glass recycling, an activity that continues for millennia’ [1]. Yet there’s another element that goes into the mix, and as society turns its attention to issues of circularity, responsible production and consumption and environmental impact, it’s coming to the forefront now more than ever. It’s an ingredient that’s just as important as any of the natural raw ingredients: recycled glass. When it comes to ensuring sustainable consumption and production