The Reuse of Glass Partitioning Systems

Summary

Despite its recyclability, end-of-life building glass is almost never recycled into new glass products. Instead, it is often crushed together with other building materials and either goes to landfill or is downcycled for low-grade fill application uses. Recent best practice has only resulted in 6 percent of flat glass being effectively recycled.

A report published in 2022 cites that improved manufacturing yield in addition to the reutilisation of end-of-life flat glass as cullet in new production could reduce the annual GHG emissions of the UK flat glass value-chain by up to 18.6%.

Either due to refurbishment, reconfiguration or tenants moving out, the materials associated with CAT B fitout are all too often stripped out and disposed of long before their end of life, including glass partitioning systems. What can be done to make reuse an easier choice? The ASBP deep dive into glass partitioning systems has resulted in an easy to read piece of guidance to support the decision making process around reuse to accelerate the adoption of circular economy solutions and reduce carbon emissions.

During this webinar, we heard learnings, including some case studies, from the contributors to the guide including Emily Samoluk, Andrew Stammers, Darcy Arnold-Jones, and an extended panel of those doing reuse now.

Supported by the Finishes and Interiors Sector (FIS)