Most glass bottles collected in an hour: Hong Kong broke Guinness World Records record

Hong Kong, China – January 15, 2016 – The Chinese University of Hong Kong broke the Guinness World Records world record for collecting the most glass bottles in an hour; 550 alumni of Shaw College, current students and members of the public took part in the Follow the Green Brick Road: Glass Bottle Recycling Challenge event for the university’s 30th anniversary, collecting 1.1 tonnes of glass bottles and setting the new world record for most glass bottles collected in an hour.

Photo: 550 alumni of Shaw College, current students and members of the public took part in the Follow the Green Brick Road: Glass Bottle Recycling Challenge event for the university’s 30th anniversary, collecting 1.1 tonnes of glass bottles. Photo: CUHK Shaw College Alumni Association

The Guinness World Records world record for the largest glass bottle mosaic consists of 7,420 bottles and was achieved by HOMEX Co., Ltd (Japan) at Toyota Ecoful Town, in Toyota, Aichi, Japan, on 31 August 2014. The challenge took two days and 191 people were involved to make the mosaic in total. The area of the mosaic measured 20.56 m² (221 ft²).

Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the largest cup/glass of soft drink; it contains 12,287.45 litres of lemonade (2702.86 UK gal; 3,246 US gal) and was achieved by Calypso Lemonades (USA), in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, on 20 August 2015.

The bottles will get a second lease of life as eco-friendly bricks, which will be used to pave the university’s Alumni Trail.

“Hong Kong sends 9,000 tonnes of rubbish to the landfill every day,” said secretary for environment Wong Kam-sing who attended the event. Around two percent are glass bottles.

The government is currently proposing a new producer responsibility scheme, where businesses that import or distribute beverages in glass bottles will pay a recycling fee. It hopes to pass the proposal in the current legislative session.