Factory's closure poses risk to glass recycling

The future of glass bottle recycling in Ireland was in doubt today after a factory which is supplied by the country’s 1,300 bottle banks announced that it is closing, with the loss of 375 jobs.

Ardagh Glass said its plant in Dublin would be gone by June because it was uncompetitive due to the failure of employees to agree changes in work practices.

The development seemed set today to put pressure on the Government to come up with alternative glass recycling facilities to meet European Union requirements.

For the past 18 years Ardagh has had a contract with the disability charity Rehab Fellowship, which each year gathers more than 30,000 tonnes of glass - some 100 million bottles and jars - from collection points nationwide as part of its fund-raising activities.

Rehab general manager Bob Rowate said the organisation expected to collect a record 36,000 tonnes of glass this year and had recently agreed a new three-year contract with Ardagh which was to have been signed shortly.

The charity’s success in recycling was directly linked to the amount of glass reprocessed at the Dublin factory, he said, adding:

‘‘I think we have to face the reality that the Ardagh plant is now closing.

‘‘This has serious implications we have lost a substantial section of our market.’’

EU regulations call on Ireland to recycle 200,000 tonnes of packaging material, including glass, each year.