Glass and a carbon-free United States: What is glass's role in the upcoming green revolution?

Abstract

The climate is changing rapidly due to anthropogenic greenhouse gases. Glass is a significant contributor to these emissions, with 95 million tons of CO2 being emitted due to glass manufacturing in recent years. Furthermore, glass recycling remains poor in the United States, and most glass is left to landfill after a single use. The lack of recycling and the carbon footprint of manufacturing have made glass an environmentally damaging material despite its theoretical infinite recyclability. Additionally, glass has the potential to enable next-generation energy materials, enabling the necessary technology for a green economy. In this review, we briefly cover the challenges of glass manufacturing and how to make glass the benchmark material for a carbon-neutral economy.