Reusing glass bottles: Oc’Consigne wins the Millésime d’Adelphe competition

Sophie Graziani-Roth, partner and co-founder, and Anne-Claire Degail, manager at Oc’Consigne, receive the prize in the Millésime d’Adelphe competition, in the innovation category. DR – Oc'Instruction

Since June 2023, more than 400,000 bottles have been washed on the plant site, since it was commissioned in June 2023. DR – Oc'Consigne

Created in 2021, the cooperative company Oc’Consigne has set itself the mission of developing the reuse sector for glass bottles and packaging in the eastern part of Occitanie. The jury of the Millésime competition awarded it the innovation prize.

Oc’Consigne still can't believe it. Out of the 65 applications sent to the eco-organization Adelphe, as part of Millésime, its competition rewarding innovative eco-design and reuse projects in the wine, spirits, cider and beer sectors, the jury chose her to make her the winner of the innovation category.

"In this category, there were six finalists. We were up against some tough guys. We were already proud to have been pre-selected. So, winning was the cherry on the cake“, confides Sophie Graziani-Roth, co-founding partner of Oc’Consigne. This award also confirms the recognition and confidence of professionals in the wine industry in the quality work provided by the cooperative company.

Deposit: the common sense solution

When we know that reusing glass bottles and packaging saves up to 79% of energy and 51% of water compared to recycling, and reduces CO2 emissions by 77% (Ademe, Editor's note), the disappearance of the deposit since the beginning of the 1990s is more than regrettable.

Due to the problem of plastic waste and the scarcity of natural resources, the return of the deposit is “the right solution“, emphasizes Sophie Graziani-Roth. The figures speak for themselves: glass bottles and packaging account for 30% of a winemaker's carbon footprint. “Acting on the bottle therefore has a greater impact than on the vineyard“, she adds.

Wash as many bottles as possible

This is the mission that Oc’Consigne has set itself by meeting more than 300 players in the wine, beer and juice sectors, in order to build with them adapted solutions to develop the reuse of bottles and create a sector dedicated to this activity.

To meet this challenge, the cooperative built a multi-container washing plant in 2023, due to the lack of one available in the territory covered. It can clean 3,500 bottles per hour. Once washed, the bottles are screened by a machine dedicated to quality inspection. At the slightest defect, they are ejected. Between labels that do not peel off well and bottle pitting, washing and drying these containers requires superior technicality to other glass packaging. Which led Oc’Consigne to adapt its machine, after significant research and development work.

While the cooperative offers a complete range of support for reconditioning, including collection, "doing all this in one's corner doesn't work. All bottles must be collected throughout France“, says Sophie Graziani-Roth. To do this, specific specifications have been set and a collective created in 2023, France Consigne. The next steps ? Develop collection points and convince producers and marketers to get involved in reuse. “We are ready to wash more bottles, but we need more and more”, she warns.

Key figures:

9 employees work for Oc’Consigne, an approved integration company since 2022

More than 100 collection points in the eastern part of l’Occitanie

More than 80 producers use its washing and reuse services, more than half of which are winegrowers.

More than 30 producers only ask for washing in a traditional way

3 million reusable bottles have been put back on the market since 2022

More than 400,000 bottles washed on the factory site in Lattes since it was commissioned in June 2023.

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