Vitro increases the number of tons of glass collected for recycling

In the context of the World Environmental Day, Vitro, a leader in the manufacture of glass in México and one of the most important in the world, presented its 2008 report on Sustainable Development highlighting its success in collecting 128 tons of glass for recycling during the year, thanks to its program “For a More Transparent World”.

“This is of great importance since, by recycling, we reduce the consumption of raw materials, we lengthen the useful life of the physical spaces used for solid waste storage and we improve our efficiency, by using less energy in our furnaces, reducing costs and emitting less greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, thus improving air quality”, comments Hugo Lara, Vitro’s CEO.

The collection of 128,000 tons of glass for recycling translates into savings of 7.6 million cubic meters of natural gas and avoiding carbon dioxide emissions of 15,111 tons while freeing up 256,000 cubic meters of physical space sites required for the confinement of solid waste.

According to Albert Chico Smith, Head for Vitro’s Corporate Communication and Social Responsibility, part of this achievement is due to the fact that each passing day there is a growing consciousness and interest by the community to participate in recycling efforts, as a means to contribute to a cleaner planet.

“Just in 2008 alone we increased by 24 per cent the number of recycling projects for glass bottle recycling versus 2007, by initiating 226 programs jointly with government authorities, schools, associations, restaurants, bars and hotels, among others”, he details.

He adds that, through the collection efforts for recycling, approximately 470 direct jobs and 2,350 indirect jobs are created. In this manner “For a More Transparent World” becomes the most important recycling program in the industry in México.