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PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Mary Ann Remolador, maryann@nerc.org
Date: November 21, 2019

NERC’s Glass Committee Develops Two New Resources

Over the past two years, the Northeast Recycling Council’s Glass Committee has collaborated on several projects designed to improve understanding of the recycled glass value chain, as well as gaps in the value chain in the Northeast region.  Two new resources have recently been released by the Committee: the Glass Recovery Hierarchy, and Glass Bottle & Fiberglass Manufacturers' Use of Cullet.

The Glass Recovery Hierarchy prioritizes today’s glass management options for post-consumer glass (cullet): refill, recycle, beneficial use, and landfilling. A chart further highlights the environmental benefits of using cullet in a number of different applications. The Hierarchy was based on environmental benefits such as greenhouse gas reduction; energy, material, and water savings; and recyclability and landfill diversion. Links to different glass life-cycle assessments are also provided.

The Glass Bottle & Fiberglass Manufacturers’ Use of Cullet compiles responses about their use of cullet from glass bottle and fiberglass manufacturers serving the Northeast region.   The topics presented in the survey analysis include the distance in which the manufacturers receive cullet from processors; how much more cullet their company can use; the percentage of cullet currently being used (18% - 80%); the impact of market fluctuations; and the willingness of manufacturers to partner with other entities to obtain cullet.

Additional glass resources developed by NERC’s Glass Committee include: Northeast States' Departments of Transportation Use of Post-Consumer Recycled Glass Fact Sheet, and Northeast MRF Glass Survey Report.

NERC’s Glass Committee is comprised of some of NERC’s Board of Directors and Advisory Members, including:

  • Luke Truman, Allagash Brewing
  • Sarah Reeves, Chittenden Solid Waste District, Vermont
  • Ray Dube, Coca Cola Bottling of Northern New England
  • Chris Nelson, Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection
  • Susan Collins, Container Recycling Institute
  • Jennifer Heaton-Jones, Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority, Connecticut
  • Megan Pryor, Maine Department of Environmental Protection & Committee Chair
  • Brooke Nash, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
  • John Fischer, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
  • Steve Changaris, National Waste & Recycling Association
  • Chaz Miller, NERC Ex-officio Board Member
  • Terry Laibach, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
  • Kayla Montanye, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
  • Reagan Bissonnette, Northeast Resource Recovery Association (NRRA)
  • Curt Bucey, Strategic Materials
  • Laura Hennemann, Strategic Materials
  • Chuck Riegle, TOMRA
  • Cathy Jamieson, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources