PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Mary Ann Remolador, maryann@nerc.org
Date: April 23, 2018
Free Webinar to Focus on Opportunities for Recycled Glass
The Northeast Recycling Council will host a free webinar—Finding Opportunity in MRF Glass— on May 16th at 2:00 p.m – 3:30 p.m. (eastern). The challenge of finding high end markets for recycled glass from single stream Materials Recycling Facilities (MRFs) has been the topic of many discussions in the recycling arena. Single stream MRFs take in mixed recyclables and sorts and bales them for processors and manufacturers. The condition and age of a MRF’s sorting equipment will dictate the condition of the resulting glass. Generally, glass from single stream MRFs needs additional processing to clean it up for high value end markets (bottles and fiberglass). And in the case of the Northeast US, available high end markets are few.
NERC’s webinar will feature several new resources focusing on the primary issues currently facing glass recovered from MRFs. REGISTER HERE. Following are details about the webinar speakers and presentations:
Ellen Martin, VP of Impact and Reporting at the Closed Loop Fund (CLF), will present the findings from CLF’s MRF Glass Study showing correlations between the type of equipment being used at US MRFs and the condition of the resulting glass. She will also present on CLF’s below market rate loans to municipalities and private companies for MRF infrastructure upgrades, to improve glass quality and reduce costs. Ms. Martin’s talk will also include CLF’s calculator for communities to determine if investment in glass clean-up equipment can improve their economics.
Dr. Eileen Berenyi, President of Governmental Advisory Associates Inc., will talk about the findings of her research into glass coming from MRFs. She will also discuss how her data was used by CLF in its MRF Glass Study.
Herb Northrop, Chief Operating Officer of Aero Aggregates, will discuss his company’s use of MRF glass in making a glass foam aggregate to be used for backfill applications. Mr. Northrop will also share his insight into what glass options work from operational, financial, and sustainability perspectives.
NERC Board Member Brooke Nash, Branch Chief of Waste Reduction Programs, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), will talk about what the department has been doing to quantify the impact of the Ardagh facility closure in Milford, Massachusetts. Ardagh is a glass bottle manufacturer, and its closure has impacted the glass recycling efforts of at least 28 Massachusetts municipalities. She will also discuss how the MassDEP is exploring alternative end markets for glass, including processed glass aggregate, and meeting with representatives from several alternative market options. The MassDEP is also offering grants of up to $150,000 to assist with pilot projects or ongoing glass crushing activities to produce processed glass aggregate. Businesses, including MRFs, will be able to apply for separate MassDEP Recycling Business Development Grants to expand glass processing and/or end-uses.
For more information about the webinar, contact Mary Ann Remolador, NERC’s Assistant Director at 802.254.3636.
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