Ardagh Glass Packaging-Africa (AGP-A) CEO Paul Curnow has been appointed chairman of The Glass Recycling Company (TGRC), a South African organisation focused on increasing glass recovery and recycling rates.

Curnow succeeds Mike Arnold in the role, having also succeeded him as CEO of AGP-A. Ardagh was a founding member of TGRC and has worked with the organisation, industry partners and local communities to support glass recycling and circular economy initiatives in South Africa.

The appointment forms part of Ardagh's wider sustainability strategy, including its Clearly Ardagh transformation programme, which focuses on reducing waste and improving resource efficiency.

AGP-A said increasing its use of recycled glass, or cullet, remains central to these efforts. The company achieved a recycled content rate of 49% in 2023 and said Curnow's new role would support further collaboration across the industry.

As part of the appointment, Curnow will also join the board of the Paper and Packaging Producer Responsibility Organisation Alliance, which brings together organisations working across South Africa's recycling sector.

Curnow said: “Taking responsibility for our impact on the environment and ensuring our glass returns for re-use as a new bottle has always been important to me personally and, of course, for our business commercially".

“Having partnered with the TGRC over the years in my role to grow recycling rates in South Africa, I am both proud and excited to now move on and play a broader industry role and serve as its chairman.”

He added that glass's ability to be recycled repeatedly through local bottle-to-bottle systems would be important in supporting a more circular economy.

He concluded: “I am passionate about working with our customers and industry partners to increase glass recovery rates, promote and inspire greater consumer awareness and unlock the full potential of a circular economy".