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Re: Need information on glass recycling project as a social enterprise for a nonprofit
2006-09-27 12:36:50 UTC
We (a non-profit) are trying to identify a glass solution in Alabama, also. We have one solution, and are trying to find a better one. The low resale value and high transportation cost of waste glass are killing us. Currently: We have found a market for some glass, but there is no revenue stream. We collect consumer-recycled glass at a central collection facility, and it is hauled to a local cement kiln where it is used as a direct substitute for sand in the manufacture of cement. Because of its destination, we can collect ALL kinds of glass (bottles, drinking glasses, windows) except tempered or safety glass. The cement company pays to have the glass transported to their facility (in 30-yard containers), so they do not benefit economically. In fact, I believe it costs them more to haul and use glass than to use sand (mined on-site), but they've made a community choice. We offset but a fraction of the sand they use, but they will substitute as much glass as we can send their way. We would like to see it used in road beds, but glass is not an approved material by Alabama's DOT (shocking, I know). So we have to get it approved at the state level before we can even consider expanding the program in that direction. Proposed Model: We are working with local restaurants and other glass producers to determine if there is a fee they would be willing to pay to have their glass hauled separately from other waste. Similarly, we are researching what kind of payment might be possible from industrial end-users, even DOT.. If we can put this together, we are hoping to cobble together a program that makes (a little) money. I doubt it will do much more than pay the people it takes to organize and operate, however. It's just so cheap to landfill things here that it is hard to compete with traditional waste disposal. I am very keen to hear what other solutions you find.
Best Regards,
- Keith
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