promote the reuse of glass packaging and bottles

Oc'Consigne is an SCIC (Société Coopérative d'Intérêt Collectif) certified as a social integration enterprise whose mission is to promote the reuse of glass packaging and bottles in eastern Occitanie.  Its bottle washing plant has been operational since 2023.   

In addition to its core business of bottle washing and its contract washing service for producers, Oc'Consigne is developing a range of complementary initiatives: 

• support for professionals
• sale of shared bottles
• research and experimentation services for reuse loops. 

These activities are supported by cross-functional services such as communications, logistics, and technical research.   

THE REUSE OF GLASS BOTTLES: A SIMPLE ACTION WITH A STRONG IMPACT!

A MORE SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION THAN RECYCLING

Reuse is an age-old practice that was abandoned in France for decades in favor of single-use disposable glass. 

The principle is simple

Instead of being thrown away, glass bottles are collected, washed, and then reused to hold your favorite local beverages once again.

After consumption, a glass bottle can take two possible paths: 

• Either it is collected, washed, and reused to hold beverages again, which is called reuse. This virtuous cycle is illustrated in the diagram below. 
• Or it is sent for recycling: the glass is then crushed and melted down to make new containers.   

These two methods are complementary, but reuse results in lower carbon emissions and optimizes the bottles’ sustainability by conserving natural resources (water, energy, sand) as much as possible. 

Good to know: You can return all your bottles bearing the national reuse symbol to any collection point, even if you didn’t buy them at that store!