The project

The main objective of the reWINE project is to demonstrate the viability of a sustainable system for the collection, cleaning, and reuse of glass bottles in the Catalan wine industry. 

The project involved consumers, producers, bars, restaurants, wholesalers and shops to make a pilot study of the reuse of wine bottles, from washing, labelling, bottling and distribution on the market and until their collection.

reWINE had a total budget of 991,309€, of which 60% is provided by the European Union, and was developed from September 2016 to December 2020.

Context

9 million

daily consumption of bottled drinks in Catalonia

6%

of the bottled drinks consumed each day in Catalonia are in wine bottles

147.000

tons of wine bottles are used each year in Catalonia. 43% of the bottles are not reused

Reuse, even though it is a priority in the European waste management scheme, is undergoing a clear reduction in Catalonia. According to data from ADISCAT (Association of beverage and food distribution and logistics companies of Catalonia), reusable packaging only represents 19% of the total number of packages on the market and are limited to the hospitality industry.

Wine containers are not currently reused by any of their distribution channels, not even in hotels, restaurants and catering companies, as occurs in other drink industries such as the containers for soft-drinks or beer.

This is why, the reWINE project plans to identify the opportunities and barriers for reuse wine bottles through experimental data that enable ensuring its technical and health related viability and quality, and determine whether it could be a cost effective solution for companies and the environment.

The wine industry is one of those most affected by climate change as the vines and the quality of the wine a largely dependent on atmospheric conditions. This is why new techniques and strategies must be implemented to reduce the carbon footprint.

Objectives

The main objective of the reWINE project is to design and implement a pilot project to demonstrate the viability of a sustainable system for reuse glass bottles in the Catalan wine industry. 

Specific objectives:

  1. Encourage the reuse of glass bottles in the Catalan wine industry.
  2. Contribute to creating awareness and achieve the qualitative and quantitative objectives for reduction of waste set out in Catalan and European legislation.
  3. Identify the barriers and opportunities for reuse bottle glass as well as assess the environmental, economic and technical aspects involved.
  4. Encourage transfer of the experience into other geographic and economic contexts.
  5. Create a reuse network among different interest groups.

Activities and Results

The project identified the opportunities and barriers to the reuse of glass bottles in the wine sector in Catalonia, through experimental data that have verified its technical, environmental, social and economic viability. To achieve this, it carried out the following activities:

1. Market study to identify obstacles and possible solutions for the reuse of wine bottles.

2. Test design and operation of the wine bottle washing process.

3. Pilot test with wineries, waste treatment plants, restaurants and shops.

4. Validation of the viability of the project in environmental, economic and technical criteria.

5. Awareness and dissemination of the benefits of reuse.

The project recovered 82.239 bottles of wine for reuse. The useful life of these bottles represents the saving of more than 170,000 kg of CO2 equivalent, which are the emissions that a vehicle would produce while traveling 11 times around the world.

The plans are to extend the bottle reuse system throughout Catalonia as well as to other wine-growing regions of Spain and Europe.

82.239

Bottles reused

34 tons

Reduction of glass packaging waste