Specialist Glass Recycling for a Circular Economy
Day Glass Recycling is Day Group’s specialist glass processing and export division, supporting local authorities and waste management partners across London and the South.
222,000 Tonnes Per Year
Reduced Carbon Emissions
Closed Loop Recycling
Advanced Glass Processing in the South
Day Glass Recycling operates strategically located processing and export facilities in Charlton and Southampton,
helping maximise material recovery while reducing transport impacts.
Greenwich
Our Thames-side facility in Charlton can process up to 100,000 tonnes of glass annually. Glass sourced primarily from Materials Recovery Facilities is processed into clean, sorted cullet before being loaded directly onto ships for export to mainland Europe for remanufacturing.
Southampton
Our Southampton operation enables a further 120,000 tonnes of glass to be shipped to specialist processing facilities producing feed cullet for bottle and container manufacturing.
Why Export Glass for Recycling?
Supporting Better Environmental Outcomes
Glass can be recycled repeatedly without losing quality, making it one of the most sustainable packaging materials available.
Using recycled glass cullet reduces furnace energy consumption and associated carbon emissions, helping manufacturers lower the environmental impact of glass production.
Did You Know:
- Glass can be recycled endlessly without degradation
- A 10% increase in cullet use can reduce furnace energy consumption by 2.5%
- Recycling six tonnes of glass saves approximately one tonne of CO₂
Addressing the UK’s Glass Imbalance
The UK generates more waste glass than domestic remelt facilities can absorb, particularly green glass.
Differences between the colours of glass collected and the colours required by UK manufacturers create a surplus that cannot always be processed efficiently within the UK.
Exporting glass for remelt ensures this valuable material remains within the circular economy rather than being diverted into lower-value applications.
Fewer Road Miles. Lower Carbon Impact.
Most UK glass remelt facilities are located in the North of England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
For material collected in Southern England, transporting glass to these facilities can involve journeys exceeding 250 miles by road.
By exporting directly from dockside facilities in Charlton and Southampton, glass can be transported more efficiently by sea.
Keeping Glass in Closed-Loop Recycling
Research consistently demonstrates that remelting glass into new containers delivers significantly greater environmental benefits than using glass in lower-value applications.
By prioritising remelt markets, Day Glass Recycling helps ensure recovered glass remains a valuable resource within the circular economy.
- Supports the manufacture of new bottles and jars
- Reduces demand for raw materials
- Delivers lower lifecycle carbon emissions
- Keeps valuable material in continuous circulation
- Avoids downcycling into lower-value applications
Download Our Glass Recycling Report
Learn more about the environmental benefits of glass remelt recycling, carbon savings, and the role of export infrastructure in supporting a circular economy.