Glass Packaging Material Flow Analysis for Production, Consumption, and Trade in Peru during 2018

Abstract

A diagnosis of the national flows of glass packaging was developed through a Material Flow Analysis and the validation of the results with the key business stakeholders related to the glass packaging industry in Peru. It was identified that in 2018, 632,5 thousand tons of glass containers circulated, where 52,1% (329.5 thousand tons) corresponded to refillable packaging, 41,1% (259,7 thousand tons) to nationally manufactured packaging, 3,6% (22,9 thousand t) to imports, and 3,2% (20,4 thousand tons) to the illegal market. Regarding the outputs, 83% (528,0 thousand tons) of the glass packaging were returned or disposed as waste in less than one year, 6,5% (41,1 thousand tons) remained in use more than one year, and 10,0% (63,4 thousand tons) was exported. Focusing on post-consumer glass packaging waste from the formal national market (178,1 thousand tons), 73,9% (131,5 thousand tons) was lost in landfills and environment, while 26,1% (46,5 thousand tons) was recovered; This last figure drop to 23,4% if the consumption of products of illegal origin is considered. It is estimated that about half of this packaging waste would be in Lima.