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India's Glass and Ceramics Clusters

Glass Bottles and Packaging

How glass containers are used for beverages, alcohol and medicines, competition from plastic and cans, and the recycling of glass cullet.

Glass is widely used in packaging.

Uses

  • Liquor and beer bottles.
  • Pharma vials and bottles.
  • Food jars.

Producers

Firms like AGI Greenpac and Piramal Glass (PGP Glass).

Competition

Plastic bottles and aluminium cans are lighter and cheaper to transport.

Advantages

Glass is inert, reusable and recyclable.

Recycling

Broken glass, called cullet, is melted to make new glass, saving energy.

Reuse

Beer companies collect and reuse bottles in India.

Vaccines

COVID-19 vaccine demand raised need for vials.

The returned bottle

Beer bottles are collected by scrap dealers and returned to breweries for cleaning and refilling.

Thinking glass is being replaced entirely by plastic

Glass still dominates in liquor and pharma.

Key takeaways
  • Glass packages liquor, pharma and food.
  • Plastic and cans compete.
  • Cullet recycling saves energy.
  • Beer bottles are reused.
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