November 10, 2020

Ninety percent of residents and consumers still expect to be able to recycle glass, according to members of the recycling value chain. The third annual survey by the Glass Recycling Coalition (GRC), released at the GRC Fall 2020 Member Meeting, queried more than 200 municipal officials, top glass industry professionals, and materials recovery facility (MRF) operators in an open survey from August to September 2020. 

September 09, 2020

The Glass Recycling Coalition (GRC) awarded the first-ever gold-level MRF Glass Certification to materials recovery facilities at Rumpke Waste & Recycling and Sims Municipal Recycling. Two Sims Municipal Recycling’s MRFs and three Rumpke Waste & Recycling’s MRFs received this honor for their processes for cleaning up glass and integrated beneficiation. 

August 12, 2020

The Glass Recycling Coalition (GRC) calls on haulers, material recovery facilities (MRFs), community program managers,  glass processors, and manufacturers to weigh in on their glass recovery efforts across North America before the September 1 deadline.

March 05, 2020

Scott DeFife, President of the Glass Packaging Institute (GPI), was named President of the Glass Recycling Foundation’s (GRF) Executive Board. GRF’s vision is to increase recycling through sustainability education and best practices to ensure the maximum benefit for communities and the environment. Jennifer Cumbee of Ardagh Group was also named the newest member of the GRF Board. DeFife succeeds Lynn Bragg as Board President and joins Ron Holmes of Diageo and Laura Hennemann of Strategic Materials as officers of GRF’s Executive Board.

February 06, 2020

Today, the Glass Recycling Foundation (GRF) announced two major donations totaling $50,000 from the Owens-Illinois (O-I) Charities Foundation and Diageo North America. The contributions will advance GRF through pilot projects which are leveraging best practices to improve glass recycling.

November 14, 2019

Today at the Texas Glass Recycling Workshop co-hosted by State of Texas Alliance for Recycling (STAR) and the Glass Recycling Coalition (GRC), Balcones Resources and Sedona Recycles received the GRC’s MRF Glass Certification.  

September 16, 2019

According to a 2018 industry survey, more than 27% of material recovery facilities (MRFs) have glass clean-up equipment. The Glass Recycling Coalition (GRC), a collaborative glass recycling organization, is launching the MRF Glass Certification to recognize effective programs.

July 31, 2019

According to the survey, U.S. manufacturers used 2.2 billion pounds of recycled glass in the production of residential, commercial, and industrial thermal and acoustical insulation - roughly equivalent to the amount of Municipal Solid Waste generated by 1 million people in the U.S. in a year. 
NAIMA Canada members together used 381 million pounds of recycled glass in the production of residential, commercial, industrial, and air handling thermal and acoustical insulation.

April 16, 2019

Today the first foundation focused solely on funding glass recycling initiatives was formed.  The Glass Recycling Foundation (GRF) is a 501(c)3, non-profit organization formed to provide and raise funds for localized and targeted assistance, demonstration and pilot projects that address gaps in the glass recycling supply chain across the United States.

April 05, 2019

City officials launched a new recycling facility in northeast Houston Thursday, bringing curbside glass recycling back to the area. Since 2016, Houstonians have been asked to take their old glass to one of 10 city depositories. With this new facility, Houstonians can recycle glass along with the rest of their items again.

​

March 06, 2019

Momentum Recycling partners with cities to expand glass recycling services in Utah, Colorado.

January 06, 2019

MRFs, cities and glass recyclers share challenges and breakthrough glass recycling stories. Recycling Today reports on the December GRC webinar including common myths and facts in glass recycling.

December 24, 2018

In his latest dispatch from the United States, Richard McDonough investigates the US glass recycling business and suggests there needs to be a shift in thinking to a more business-oriented model if recycling levels are to improve.

November 21, 2018

Anheuser-Busch has announced an investment of $250,000 in Closed Loop Fund projects to enhance glass recycling capabilities in Texas communities.The company is planning to announce the first project in early 2019, helping the firm to advance its efforts to achieve 2025 sustainability goals announced last spring.

NERC contacted 91 MRFs in the northeast region from Maryland to Maine and heard back from 49%. While the survey results are illustrative, they cannot quite be called representative of the entire region — a fact NERC acknowledges early in the survey results.

October 12, 2018

New Belgium Brewing's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions is the same every year. It's not the ingredients it uses to make its beer or the trucks that distribute its product. It's the glass bottles.

Katie Wallace, director of social and environmental responsibility for New Belgium Brewing, wanted to reduce her company's emissions from glass but also recognized that the company only sells about 0.5 percent of all beer sold in the United States. Because she couldn't incite large-scale change solely by changing New Belgium's own practices, she decided to talk with leaders of other companies and of non-profits that have a stake in glass recycling. 

September 11, 2018

U.S. fiberglass insulation manufacturers continue to consume great amounts of post-consumer recovered glass.

The North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA) issued a press release with results from a recent survey of its U.S. and Canadian members. Fiberglass insulation is the second largest market for post-consumer glass in the country, after bottle manufacturing. Some glass that can’t go into new bottles because of contamination can be used by the fiberglass industry.

July 24, 2018

In many U.S. bars and restaurants, glass bottles and containers fill garbage dumpsters with a one-way trip to the landfill. In this webinar brought to you by the Glass Recycling Coalition and the Municipal Solid Waste Management Association, learn how changes in the back-of-house collection of glass, staff training, and unique collection methods played critical roles in these programs. Hear first-hand accounts from the communities and companies that have successfully managed glass recycling programs to increase recycling and diversion rates. Join us on Thursday, August 16, 2pm-3pm ET for a free webinar to learn more

August 07, 2018

Ninety-three percent of residents and consumers still expect to be able to recycle glass, according to members of the recycling value chain. The 2nd annual survey by the Glass Recycling Coalition (GRC) queried more than 300 public-sector representatives, top glass industry professionals, and material recovery facility (MRF) operators in an open survey from May to June 2018. The survey also revealed important differences in perceptions, trends and concerns among these groups.

February 28, 2018

FCC Environmental Services, the solid waste management company overseeing Houston's recycling beginning in 2019, plans to build a recycling facility in Houston as part of its 20-year contract with the city. 

February 20, 2018

According to the Glass Packaging Institute (GPI), glass is 100 percent recyclable and can be recycled endlessly without loss in quality or purity. In addition, GPI reports that recycled glass can be substituted for up to 95 percent of raw materials and that it reduces emissions and consumption of raw materials, extends the life of plant equipment, such as furnaces and saves energy.

December 06, 2017

The state of California is helping to finance a facility that will process glass fines into a product used in high-strength concrete. Meanwhile, state regulators recently approved new reporting and inspection rules for glass sorting and cleanup facilities.

November 15, 2017

US glass recycling specialist, Strategic Materials, has opened a new glass processing plant in Delavan, Wisconsin as it expands its North American manufacturing footprint.

The company said that the new 125,000 square foot (11,600 square metre) facility was built in response to the state’s need to increase glass recycling. The facility sits on fifteen acres, and is expected to begin production in early November 2017. 

August 29, 2017

Ninety-six percent of residents and consumers expect to be able to recycle glass, according a survey conducted by Glass Recycling Coalition’s (GRC) of more than 250 public sector representatives, glass industry professionals, and material recovery facility (MRF) representatives. The glass recycling survey results, released today at the Resource Recycling Conference in Minneapolis, found that the top priorities among public sector respondents for recycling programs are fulfilling resident satisfaction, meeting sustainability goals, and reducing contamination.

August 17, 2017

Stakeholders in one southern state are forging new partnerships to recover more clean glass from single-stream programs. The effort is focusing on methodical and affordable MRF upgrades that are already moving systems forward.

August 16, 2017

Astoria residents will have curbside yard debris and glass recycling carts to add to their regular recycling and garbage bins by the end of August. Pickup won’t start until September, however, with the first yard debris collection occurring on customers’ regular service day beginning Sept. 4. The first glass pickup is scheduled for Sept. 25.

August 09, 2017

Glass recycling ended earlier this summer at the Bowling Green Recycling Center, but Mayor Richard Edwards said the city is still working on a way to recycle the material.

"We are all too painfully aware that a resolution has not been found for the glass recycling issue," Edwards said during Monday's council meeting. "However, we continue to be optimistic and we may even have a workable plan this week."

August 01, 2017

A group that leverages corporate dollars to improve municipal recycling has backed a Pennsylvania glass aggregate manufacturer, part of an effort to bolster buyers of curbside recyclables.

To date, most the Closed Loop Fund’s projects have focused on expanding municipal recycling programs or pushing forward sorting facilities.

June 28, 2017

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner announced details regarding the City’s negotiations with a new recycling partner, FCC Environmental LLC. FCC operates recycling facilities in 35 countries, and now its U.S. headquarters would move to Houston.

City Council could vote on the contract as early as July 19. Operations could begin 14 months later. Turner said he’s hopeful that City Council will approve the contract. 

“Houston will count as the sixth Texas city to choose FCC, and their total recycling processing contract value will exceed more than $600 million,” Turner said.

June 13, 2017

A materials recovery facility spent $671,000 to buy and install glass cleanup equipment, which is generating $296,000 in annual savings. The project in Guelph, Ontario shows how investing in glass recovery technologies can pencil out favorably for MRFs.

May 31, 2017

The Southeast Recycling Development Council (SERDC) and the GRC will co-host a free webinar, Tools to Make Glass Recycling Work on Thursday, June 22 at 2 pm ET. The webinar will walk users through the new GRC decision-making tool. The Closed Loop Foundation will also present results from their recent glass study and discuss opportunities for investment in glass infrastructure. SERDC will highlight two tools to assist local governments improve their materials management operations. 

Register for the free Tools to Make Glass Recycling Work Webinar at www.glassrecycles.org. For more information about the GRC info@glassrecycles.org.

May 30, 2017

The Glass Recycling Coalition (GRC) is pleased to announce the release of an online decision-making tool to help recycling program managers evaluate or optimize their glass recycling programs. Developed with the help of GRC members and guidance from the GRC’s Government Advisory Council, the decision-making tool is equipped with best practices, interactive data, contract considerations and more.​

April 21, 2017

Some recycling centers around the country have stopped accepting glass, citing problems with breakage and a shrinking market for recycled glass. And with most municipalities offering what's known as single-stream recycling, where consumers mix different types of recyclables together, there's the potential for the shards of broken glass getting mixed with the plastics, newspapers and other recyclables.

April 20, 2017

“If the trend continues, the system will recover less and less of the glass generated each year, despite the fact that manufacturers can save significant costs and energy using recycled glass,” the report states. “All stakeholders – from municipalities and MRFs to processors, manufacturers, and brand owners – need a more efficient and cost-effective solution to handle single-stream glass.”

March 23, 2017

​Public-private partnerships are becoming an effective solution to resolve infrastructure funding issues for recycling. A recent webinar attracting 214 attendees, co-hosted by the Glass Recycling Coalition (GRC) and Northeast Recycling Council (NERC), offered a deeper understanding of successful public-private partnerships that have strengthened local glass recycling markets.

March 07, 2017

Last year, a diverse group of companies – ranging from brewing companies to fiberglass insulation manufacturers, waste disposal and recycling companies, even investment firms – came together to form the Glass Recycling Coalition. Their mission: “to make glass recycling work” by improving recycling processes and working with municipalities to build up markets.

February 10, 2017

The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) Board of Directors approved the addition of new specifications for glass and inbound mixed recyclables for material recovery facilities (MRF) during its Winter Meeting on February 10.  As per ISRI’s Policy Manual, any party may submit to ISRI a written appeal of the ISRI Board’s approval of this new specification up to 30 days after publication of this notice

February 17, 2017

Momentum Recycling is set to open a bottle-to-bottle recycling plant (pictured) in Boulder, Colorado on Feb. 22. The facility, which will be Colorado’s first bottle-to-bottle recycling plant and the Salt Lake City-based company’s first facility outside of Utah, and up the glass recycling rate in Colorado to over three times its current level, Momentum says.

February 14, 2017

The Indiana Recycling Coalition (IRC) and its partner Strategic Materials have received a $22,585 grant from the State of Indiana to promote recycling in four Marion County business districts.

IRC was one of eight recyclers in the state to receive a grant from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s (IDEM) Recycling Market Development Program, 

ut? What makes it interesting? Write a catchy description to grab your audience's attention...

December 14, 2016

The Glass Recycling Coalition (GRC), Ann Arbor, Michigan, hosted a webinar titled "Making Glass Recycling Work in MRFs" that attracted more than 150 local and state government representatives. In the webinar,

December 07, 2016

A new report from the Associated Recyclers of Wisconsin examines the state's glass recovery network and finds that it's still more sustainable to recycle the material than landfill it. However, multiple changes are needed to strengthen the system, as reported by Resource Recycling.

November 17, 2016

Ohio-based Rumpke Waste & Recycling Dayton has used the occasion of America Recycles Day to reveal a $1 million renovation at its mixed glass recycling center Nov. 15, 2016.

​

November 16, 2016

GlassRecycles.org offers case studies, best practices and a building library of resources to help promote community glass recycling.

November 15, 2016

In celebration of America Recycles Day, the Glass Recycling Coalition (GRC) announces the launch of its website, GlassRecycles.org. Industry, public and private sector recycling professionals, as well as the public, will find case studies, best practices, and a building library of resources dedicated to understanding and successfully implementing community glass recycling.

November 10, 2016

Specifications are designed to reduce contamination in incoming loads and to help market glass recovered from MRFs.

September 16, 2016

Ripple Glass LLC is four times larger than when it was founded in 2009, and the only thing standing in the way of even more dramatic growth is the need for more people to recycle their glass containers.

The Kansas City-based company has about 100 large purple glass recycling bins placed in the parking lots of grocery and liquor stores across the Kansas City metropolitan area, and about 200 smaller bins behind local restaurants, bars and other retailers that use a lot of glass.

October 25, 2016

Cal Tigchelaar, president of privately owned Resource Management Cos. (RMC), Chicago, and Kate Davenport, chief of business development for Eureka Recycling, a Minnesota-based nonprofit recycling company, highlighted the successes and opportunities they have seen by embracing glass as a recyclable commodity.

September 23, 2016

A key session on the conference’s second day sought to break down the costs of recycling on MRF operations. It included Nat Egosi, president & CEO, RRT Design & Construction; Chris Hawn, North American sales manager, Machinex; and Pete Keller, vice president, recycling & sustainability, Republic Services.

September 01, 2016

Blog post featured on Resource Recycling.

August 18, 2016

Article featured in Waste360.

August 09, 2016

Article featured in Resource Recycling.

May 11, 2016

Article featured in Waste Dive.

May 12, 2016

Article featured in Waste360.