 Glass smashed in bottle banks cannot be used |
A recycling company in Cornwall says it is the only company in Europe which has the patent to cut bottles in half to make drinking glasses. Green Glass UK from Wadebridge recycles one tonne of glass a day and makes 2,000 glasses every day.
By changing the bottles into glasses, it saves 97% of the energy normally used to make glass.
The company sells its products to hundreds of shops around the world has won two recycling awards.
Bottle banks
The method of cutting bottles in half to make glasses originated from South Africa.
Glenn Slade from Green Glass says he has to buy in whole, unbroken bottles in order to make the unique glasses.
He says when bottles are put into everyday bottle banks, they are immediately smashed and are not suitable for recycling in this way.
Green Glass UK has won the Recycled Product of the Year from the 2001 National Recycling Awards, and the SWEB Energy Environment & Community Award from the 2004 Business Challenge Awards.
The company sells its products to around 350 shops all around the world, including the Eden Project and the National History Museum in London.
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