Everyone is becoming more and more aware of the global waste crisis, which is why many are keen to do what they can to reduce the amount of rubbish they produce.

According to the World Bank, global waste will rise by 70 per cent by 2050 if the current trend continues, amounting to 3.4 billion tons a year, which is why more people need to take action. 

As well as increasing recycling and using more sustainable products, the public also needs to get into the habit of repairing instead of replacing. 

Something that can be easily fixed instead of thrown away is a windshield, which can be as good as new when treated by professional windscreen repair services.

This can significantly reduce the amount of glass that ends up in landfill, which typically takes one million years to decompose. 

In Europe alone, nine million windscreens are replaced every year, producing 225 million pounds of waste. 

Windshield glass is particularly difficult to recycle, as it is two-ply laminated and contains a PVB layer. At the same time, they often have integrated heating elements or radio antennas embedded into the glass. Therefore, it is not just a case of the glass being reused.

Producing glass for windscreens also uses a lot of energy, as it uses extremely high temperatures. It also emits by-products like sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which are bad for the environment. 

To create just one ton of glass, more than 385 pounds of mining waste and 28 pounds of air pollutants are produced. 

Once it has been created, it has to be transported. This also harms the environment, as motor or aviation travel emits high amounts of carbon dioxide, particularly as they are heavy products.

Therefore, getting windscreens repaired as opposed to replaced is the more sustainable option.