Glass deserves a second round. And a third. And a fourth.

Glass is highly suitable for reuse. Yet, disposable glass is (according to Reloop) the most climate-damaging of all packaging materials: melting glass requires an enormous amount of energy, meaning the production of every new bottle or jar is accompanied by high CO₂ emissions. A waste and unnecessary, because after just two to three reuses, 40 per cent of those emissions are saved. We must move away from the disposable mindset and towards a system where using what we already have becomes possible, easy, and logical.

Imagine this: you hand in your jar of pesto bought in the Netherlands in Belgium, after which it ends up back on the shelves in a French supermarket. All kinds of national reuse systems already exist, but they stop at national borders. Within Interpool we are researching and testing how these puzzle pieces can fit together, so that consumers, entrepreneurs and the planet can benefit from them.

What can this deliver? For Fair Resource Foundation, Interpool is an excellent opportunity to reduce the climate impact of our resource use. Every reused bottle saves CO₂ emissions, reduces the consumption of finite, fossil resources, and prevents harmful substances from single-use packaging from ending up in the air, soil, and groundwater. Alongside these environmental benefits, the results can also contribute to resource independence, (cost) efficiency, consumer convenience, and health.

Fair Resource Foundation is leading the way, bringing together fourteen partners from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and France to make this challenge a reality. This is made possible with financial support from the European Union through the Interreg Northwest Europe programme for 3.5 years. With this, Interpool contributes to the European Union's new ambitions for fewer disposable packagings.