All those attending the Benito Villamarín, added to the previous days’ efforts of Club employees, supporters and local restaurateurs, managed to collect 1,500 kg of glass containers for recycling yesterday.
In these dates so endearing, Seville has been dyed in a special color, green, the green of Betis, the green of glass recycling, and the green of hope to combat climate change and care for the environment through the recycling of glass containers.
The challenge launched a week ago by Ecovidrio, the non-profit organization responsible for managing the recycling of glass packaging waste in Spain, in collaboration with Forever Green and the City of Seville, through the cleaning company Lipasam, has obtained a great reception by the fans managing to collect 1,500 kg of glass in just one hour.
The aim of this campaign has been to involve fans, supporters clubs and staff of all sections of Real Betis and Sevillians in a unique event around glass recycling.
The club’s own workers and supporters wanted to demonstrate their commitment by setting up 30 bins for recycling glass containers in the sports centers and in the Club’s offices.
An action that managed to collect almost 900 kg of glass from the bars in the area and from the peñas béticos.
The challenge was kicked off by Borja Martiarena, Marketing Director of Ecovidrio and Rafael Muela, manager of the Real Betis Balompié Foundation, accompanied by players from Coosur Real Betis, Real Betis Féminas, Real Betis Genuine, and the mascots Palmerín and Jerónimo.
After 19:00 the doors were closed and gave way to the drawing of prizes and gifts, while waste managers and Ecovidrio gave way to the weighing and certified that, finally, the appeal to the club’s supporters to reach the highest number of glass containers recycled reached 1,500 Ks collected, 600 kg by the fans and 900 kg by the supporters clubs, club workers and local restaurateurs.
From the 15th, the date on which the initiative was presented until the day of the event, different dissemination actions have been carried out in different parts of the city of Seville, such as schools, the University, Sevillalandia, Cantera, Futsal or basketball matches and tourist buses that have toured the center.
Environmental benefits of glass packaging waste recycling
The recycling of glass containers is a perfect example of a circular economy model, since glass is a material that is 100% recycled.
Specifically, during the past year, thanks to glass recycling in Andalusia was achieved:
– Avoid the emission of 71,406 tons of CO2 equivalent to removing 33,342 cars from circulation in one year.
– Avoid the extraction of 147,738 tons of raw materials (sand, soda and limestone), which would be 3 times the weight of the Eiffel Tower.
– Save 87,928 MWh of energy, equivalent to almost two months of energy consumption of all Andalusian hospitals.
Glass is 100% recyclable, making the recycling of glass containers a fundamental element in contributing to sustainable development, fostering the transition to the circular economy and combating climate change.
In addition, the recycling of
glass packaging is an activity that supports the fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically, it impacts on goals (11) Sustainable Cities and Communities, (12) Responsible Production and Consumption and (13) Climate Action.
Glass recycling data for Andalusia
In a year marked by the Covid-19, in Andalusia were collected through the green container a total of 113,387 tons of glass packaging waste, which puts the contribution of each citizen in 13.4 kg / inhabitant (about 46 containers per person).
During 2020, Andalusians have deposited more than 1,000,000 containers per day in the more than 36,700 green containers throughout the community.
Recycling data in Seville
During 2020, a total of 10,547 tons of glass packaging waste was collected in Seville through the green container, which places the contribution of each inhabitant at 15.3 kg/inhabitant.
About Ecovidrio
Ecovidrio is the non-profit entity responsible for the management of glass packaging waste recycling in Spain.
In 1997, after the approval of the Law on Packaging and Packaging Waste and the start of its operations in 1998, it became the managing entity of a recycling model that guarantees a complete service to which all citizens have access.
In terms of financing, 8,000 packaging companies make the recycling system possible with their contribution through the green point.
Ecovidrio’s work stands out for guaranteeing high quality recycling through the container, strengthening containerization and collection infrastructures, investing in plans and resources aimed at increasing the recycling of glass containers in the hotel and catering industry, mobilizing citizens through awareness campaigns and promoting prevention and the eco-design of containers.
In the last two decades, Ecovidrio’s system has enabled the exponential growth of the recycling rate from 31.3% in 2000 to 79.8% in 2019, according to the latest official data from the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (MITERD).
The recycling of glass containers is a fundamental element to contribute to sustainable development, promote the transition to the circular economy and fight against climate change.
In addition, glass container recycling is an activity that supports the fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically, it has a bearing on goals (11) Sustainable Cities and Communities, (12) Responsible Production and Consumption and (13) Climate Action.
