Visy achieves 70% recycled glass in bottles and jars

NEW ZEALAND – Visy, a leading glass manufacturer, has reached a significant milestone by incorporating an average of 70% recycled glass into its production of bottles and jars—a first for the country.

The company produces over 700 million glass containers annually to serve New Zealand’s wine industry and a broad range of local food and beverage businesses.

“New Zealand makes some of the best wine in the world—it deserves the best bottles,” said Visy CEO Mark De Wit. 

“Thanks to our high recycled content and New Zealand’s green electricity grid, local wineries and beverage companies can now offer some of the most sustainable glass packaging globally.”

Visy’s achievement is made possible through its nationwide glass collection program, which recovers used glass from 50 municipal councils.

The glass is processed and recycled at Visy’s Auckland facility, ensuring a stable domestic supply of packaging materials for both local use and export.

New Zealand’s efficient glass collection system—where households sort glass waste by color—has been key in improving recycling rates and helping Visy reach the 70% threshold.

Recycling glass not only diverts waste from landfills but also conserves raw materials and significantly reduces energy use.

According to Visy, containers made with recycled content can cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 30% compared to those made from virgin materials.

Beyond New Zealand, Visy is also expanding its sustainable practices in Australia. In July, the company unveiled a new A$150 million (US$100 million) sustainable glass furnace at its Penrith facility in Sydney, inaugurated by New South Wales Premier Chris Minns and Visy chair Anthony Pratt.

Billed as Australia’s most energy-efficient glass furnace, the unit operates on oxygen-only fuel, slashing energy consumption by more than 50% compared to its predecessor.

“That’s the equivalent of saving enough energy to heat over 32,000 Sydney homes every year,” said Pratt.

The Penrith site is NSW’s only glass bottle and jar manufacturing plant, producing over 800 million containers annually for major brands like Vegemite, Cottee’s Jam, Toohey’s New, and Bundaberg Ginger Beer.

The facility is also equipped with advanced cullet preheating technology, enabling even higher recycled content in production.

This innovation supports Visy’s broader goal of achieving an average of 70% recycled glass content across Australia and New Zealand.

Visy processes recycled glass collected from household bins and the Return and Earn container deposit scheme to produce its new containers.

The investment is part of a A$2 billion commitment announced by Anthony Pratt in 2021 to reduce landfill waste, tackle climate change, and grow Australia’s green manufacturing sector.

“At Visy, we’re not just manufacturers—we’re in the landfill-avoidance business,” Pratt concluded. 

“Recycling is a powerful tool in the fight against climate change. We’re backing it with low-energy technology, green-collar jobs, and stronger local manufacturing.”

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