Recycling Post-Consumer Glass: Scalable Solutions to Address the Vast Quantities of Post-Consumer Glass Still not being Recovered from Commercial Buildings

Scalable Solutions to Address the Vast Quantities of Post-Consumer Glass Still not being Recovered from Commercial Buildings

Abstract

Vast quantities of post-consumer glass from commercial buildings are still lost to landfill due to contamination, logistics, and cost barriers. This paper shares key lessons from implementing a new, scalable pathway to recover end-of-life architectural glass and return it to new building glass. Through strategic partnerships with clients, upskilling the deconstruction supply chain, and stewardship of recovered material, Saint-Gobain has developed a cost- and time-effective closed-loop solution. This initiative is the Saint-Gobain Glass Recycling Process, summarised in a six-step circular flow: (1) Diagnosis – Classification of interior/façade types and glass types prior to dismantling; (2) Dismantling – Controlled breaking of glass to prevent contamination; (3) Sorting – Organisation of acceptable cullet types for recycling; (4) Collection – Arrangement of glass flows to ensure compatibility with flat glass production; (5) Melting – Acceptance and integration of cullet into new glass batches; (6) Projects – Reuse of recycled glass in new facades for construction and renovation. This closed-loop system is applicable across various building lifecycle stages—from demolition to new construction—and exemplifies how industrial innovation can drive climate resilience and material circularity in the built environment.