Smashing contract for Shanks as Heineken goes green

The waste management group Shanks has won a contract to recycle 15,000 tons of glass for the brewer Heineken – the equivalent of nine million 330ml bottles.

As well as the green bottles familiar to UK drinkers, Heineken sells its beer in brown glass in the Netherlands, but has said it will be going completely green in the future.

Because of this, the brewer needs to recycle its entire inventory of brown bottles, some 15,000 tons of glass. The contract has been awarded to Van Tuijl, Shanks's recycling business.

Michael van Hulst, Shanks's managing director, Benelux, said: "Heineken is a key customer for us and we are delighted to be helping them transition to green bottles as part of their stated ambition to be the greenest international brewer in the world."