A first in Quebec: glass from the blue bin can be 100% reconditioned

This breakthrough makes Groupe Bellemare Owens-Illinois's a supplier of reference in Canada.

TROIS-RIVIÈRES, QC, July 13, 2026 /CNW/ -- Groupe Bellemare has demonstrated that mixed glass recovered from the blue bin can be sorted and conditioned to a level of cleanliness and consistency sufficient to be reintegrated directly into remelting, the process used to manufacture new glass containers. This represents the most demanding outcome in recycling: remelting accepts only clean, well-sorted glass of predictable quality.

The demonstration was validated by Owens-Illinois (O-I), one of the world's largest glass container manufacturers. Following a rigorous qualification process focused on colour-sorted glass, Groupe Bellemare becomes a reference supplier to O-I using glass from Quebec's curbside recycling stream.

This qualification is a decisive proof of concept: it shows that glass recovered from the blue bin can be transformed, here in Quebec, into a top-quality raw material that meets the strictest requirements of the remelting industry. The glass supplied meets the sorting, purity and predictability criteria required for reintegration into the manufacture of new containers -- the very principle of the "bottle-to-bottle" circular economy.

This result is the product of significant investments by Groupe Bellemare in research, technology and state-of-the-art optical sorting equipment, deployed over recent years to produce glass whose quality and consistency meet the needs of glassworks. It confirms the place of the Mauricie region's expertise at the heart of Quebec's glass recovery value chain.

Quotes

"We built this qualification year after year, by investing heavily in research and in world-class sorting technologies. The result is clear: blue-bin glass, processed right here in Quebec, can become a bottle again. We are proud that one of the world's largest container manufacturers recognizes our glass as a reference-grade raw material -- it confirms the value of the expertise we have developed in our region and the relevance of the investments made in our sector."

"I am very proud to bring together sustainable development and business development, after more than 20 years dedicated to glass recovery."

-- Serge Bellemare, President, Groupe Bellemare

"The valorization of recovered glass rests on innovation, material quality, and the development of sustainable markets. The results presented today by Groupe Bellemare concretely demonstrate the potential of glass from Quebec's curbside recycling system and represent an important step forward in strengthening a high-performing recycling sector that creates value right here in Quebec. They also confirm that Quebec now has the expertise, infrastructure, and know-how needed to develop sustainable outlets and maximize the value of recovered glass."

-- Maryse Vermette, President and CEO, Éco Entreprises Québec

About Groupe Bellemare

Founded in 1959 in Trois-Rivières, Groupe Bellemare is a third-generation family business active notably in glass recovery and recycling. The company is one of the few Quebec operations capable of processing the entire glass stream required to meet government targets, and a key player in the circular economy in the Mauricie region.

SOURCE Bellemare

Source and information: Marie-Eve Morin, Senior Advisor, Écho Stratégie, M 438-833-1341, [email protected]