Is it Ok to have glass bottling and canning lines in the same area?
Good morning,
I have recently started with a small Beer Company and their aim is to gain BRC accreditation. They have their glass bottling line in the same area as their canning line. It is the same product they are canning and bottling but I would have thought as it is glass bottles it should have been separated? I have checked the BRC standard which states that glass bottles should be stored separately from other packaging, raw materials and product but I cannot see anything on the production area.....maybe I am missing something. Would appreciate some thoughts/advice on this.
Thanks
Fi
I have been in BRC certified facilities that have lines for cans on one side and glass bottles running on the other.
It's not that uncommon amongst smaller cider/beer/soft drinks packers, so there is certainly a degree of acceptance of it.
The segregation in storage requirement is clause 4.9.4.1, and this is a "shall" clause, so you'll definitely need to ensure that it is implemented.
The more significant points for you to look at would be clauses 4.9.4.2/4.9.4.3.
For example, depending on the proximity of the lines then the first couple of points under 4.9.4.2 might need to include product and equipment on the non-glass lines, in addition to the glass line itself.
I've visited a facility (one of the largest syrup manufacturers), that had a glass bottle line right beside the plastic bottle line. SQF certified..
We have a similar operation where we have a dry sorting line (no glass allowed) adjacent from our glass canning line. So long as there is a partition, whether it be a line on the ground or a physical barrier, to "segregate" the the lines you will be fine.