How the recycling rate is calculated

How many glass packagings are recycled in Spain every year? The Ministry is the body responsible for calculating and publishing the official recycling rate of glass packaging and for communicating it to other official sources such as Eurostat. The official data are two years behind the current year.

With the aim of having a more current and accurate picture, and due to being the Ministry's official source of data, at Ecovidrio we make our own estimate of the rate while we wait for the official data.

79,8%
2019 Ministry Rate

More than 7 out of 10 glass packagings placed in the market are recycled in Spain!

How is the Ministry's rate
calculated?

Numerator parenthesis

Tons from the selective collection of green bins*

Tons from various Urban Waste plants throughout Spain*

Tons from other sources validated by the Ministry (independent operators, pharmaceutical sector, etc.)

Denominator parenthesis

Tons of single-use glass packaging (domestic and in the horeca sector) placed on the market, as stated to Ecovidrio (audited by AEMA), Ecoembes and SIGRE by the packaging companies in their packaging declaration files.

*Source: Ecovidrio. Audited by EY.

84.8% of the data that make up the recycling rate are provided by Ecovidrio as a source

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As a non-profit entity, we rely on the member companies' fees to guarantee the recycling of single-use glass packaging.

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