Guernsey to recycle all glass locally

Public Services started to crush glass for reuse on the island in 2006

All glass will now be recycled on island, saving £40,000 a year, Guernsey's Public Services Department has announced.

It means islanders no longer have to separate coloured and clear glass when recycling at the island's bring banks.

Before 2006 all the material collected locally was exported for recycling into new glass products.

However, for the past five years coloured glass has been crushed at Fontaine Vinery and recycled locally.

It has been reused as an aggregate replacement in building projects.

Scott Ogier, Public Services Deputy Minister, said there was currently local demand for this material, but if this demand reduced glass could be exported again.

Before making its decision, Public Services commissioned a "lifecycle analysis" to compare the relative benefits of exporting clear glass for recycling and crushing it on-island.

It found exporting it was of more benefit to the environment, but the department said it also looked at social and economic issues.

It said taking these factors showed there was a clear financial benefit from crushing and using glass locally.

In 2010, Public Services spent £65,000 recycling nearly 2,000 tonnes of bottles and jars.