All of the local authorities in Hampshire have worked together to secure a ten year contract that ensures all of the glass collected for recycling in Hampshire is guaranteed an end use. It could be reprocessed in the United Kingdom; shipped abroad, or even used in the construction of roads!

To commemorate this significant achievement, representatives from MGPC were invited to attend a presentation in Hampshire where each partner received a certificate and recycled glass gift in recognition of their contribution.

Says Dave Quirk, Chair of Project Integra Materials Marketing Group, "Today marks the result of partnership working at it’s best. This contract is a great achievement and ensures that every glass bottle put into a bottle bank in Hampshire is reprocessed in the most economically and environmentally efficient manner."

Glass currently collected in Hampshire’s bottle banks is taken to a local storage bay, from where it is transported for reprocessing as far afield as Yorkshire. Here it is broken down into a material known as ‘cullet’, this material may then be melted in a furnace which burns at 1,500 degrees centigrade and is turned into molten glass. The molten glass is then blown into new bottles and jars.

MGPC are intending as part of the contract to construct a new glass reprocessing facility in Hampshire to reduce the amount of transportation required and to create up fifteen new jobs. In addition, state of the art machinery will be used to maximise the quality of the reprocessed glass to ensure the best possible price is obtained.

The need for a plant of this nature in the south-east of England is highlighted by the interest shown by other counties in the region, including Buckinghamshire who are about to enter into a similar contract with MGPC and Project Integra.

Graham Gent, Managing Director, Midland Glass Processing Company said, "We are very excited about this opportunity to work with Project Integra. As the UK’s number one independent glass reprocessor, we feel we can bring the expertise to the partnership to make Hampshire first in the field of glass recycling."

MGPC were awarded the contract in favour of other companies due to their proven track record of reprocessing glass elsewhere in the country and their proposal to invest in state of the art machinery and a local processing plant to achieve this.

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