Representatives of Grupo Vidriero Centroamericano (Vical) reported that according to company estimates, last year was collected in the country on average about 4,900 tons of crushed glass per month.

See “Glass imports in Central America”

Eduardo Ordóñez, Image Manager of Vical, said to Dca.gob.gt that "... In Guatemala, the volume of recycled glass increases every year because it saves both raw materials and energy compared to manufacturing glass from new materials. In 2018 there was an increase of 5,550 tons."

The article adds that "... For the glass industry, the recycling in 2018 represented approximately 40% of the material of the new containers manufactured for the national and Central American market."

CentralAmericaData reports detail that in the first semester of 2018 the main importer of glass and its manufactures in Central America was Guatemala, with $39 million, followed by Costa Rica, with $31 million, Panama, with $28 million, El Salvador, with $24 million, Honduras, with $22 million and Nicaragua, with $12 million.

Source: Diario de Centro América

More on this topic

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Because of the fall in sales and the slowdown of the local economy, the company Vicesa announced the dismissal of 254 employees working at the plant in Cartago, Costa Rica.

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Glass: Business Figures in 2017

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Over the past year, countries in Central America bought $304 million worth of glass and its manufactured goods, and 25% came from the United States and Mexico.

Figures from the information system on the Central American Market for Glass and its Manufactures, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]

Guatemala: Glass Export Up 53%

July 2015

In the first five months of the year exports totaled $28 million, 53% more than in the same period last year, and 60% were destined for Central America.

Data from the Bank of Guatemala indicates that in May glass and glassware exports generated $28 million, 53% more than the $18 million generated in the same period in 2014.

Opportunities in Glass Recycling

October 2012

Nicaragua does not recycle its discarded glass, and the little that is collected is exported to three recycling plants in other Central American countries.

Elnuevodiario.com.ni reports that "If there was a glass processing plant in Nicaragua, without a doubt the number of collectors would multiply and their income would improve, but for now the amount of material collected for selling at the three factories operating in Central America, is only 2.457 metric tons per year, the lowest of all countries on the isthmus. "