Where to Recycle | Recyclables | Publications| FAQs| Sustainable Government
Glass Pulverizer
The mobile glass pulverizer assists to meet the challenges of recycling glass in Montana. A partnership has developed that results in a glass processing service for local end uses like those listed below.
The pulverizer is mounted on a trailer with its own generator powered by biodiesel. The pulverizer produces 3/8-inch and 1/8-inch minus cullet. Cullet is reduced glass that resembles gravel or fine sand. It is a uniform size of either 3/8-inch or 1/8-inch size and can be marketed for a variety of applications. This ability for glass cullet to resemble aggregate (fine sand or gravel) properties has opened many doors for local Montana communities to find uses.
Below are some of the potential uses of this versatile product in area communities:
Glass cullet in sports turf and related applications
The market potential is great for use of glass cullet, especially the 1/8-inch minus (fine sand), on golf courses. It aids in bunker stability by forming an abrasive dry layer on the land surface, thereby creating conditions that can deter earthworms. Inter-particle friction is relatively high, making glass sand less susceptible than rounded natural sands to particle interpacking and compaction. It also improves drainage. A golf course in Helena is looking at the use of the 1/8-inch minus cullet as replacement sand for its tees and bunkers.
Glass cullet as a fluxing agent in brick manufacturing
In brick manufacturing, the principal raw material is clay supplemented with other materials such as sand, stains and select minerals. Recent research suggests that brick firing temperatures can be reduced by up to 100 degrees Celsius when glass is added at a rate of 10 percent by weight to the clay mix. This savings in energy has helped a company in Three Forks to explore the use of glass cullet in its manufacturing process.
Glass cullet as a granular base material
Pulverized and screened glass cullet can be used as a granular base material. Recent studies of glass aggregate properties suggest that properly processed waste glass is well suited for use as a granular base material.
The Northern Plains Resource Council, located in Billings, has placed the cullet in its new green building parking lot, using the pave2 www.invisiblestructures.com recycled pad as the base with glass cullet as the filler.
Glass cullet use in septic tank drain fields
Sand filters are part of a non-proprietary anaerobic septic treatment system in which the sand acts as a mechanical and biological filter. Research suggests that using crushed recycled glass in place of sand may lower construction costs and improve the overall performance of the treatment system. An engineer for a new subdivision in the Helena area has replaced the sand and gravel used in the sand filter septic treatment system with the glass cullet.
Glass cullet as landscaping material
The pulverizer’s processing method, which removes sharp edges of recycled glass to produce a safe alternative to gravel, sand and other landscape materials, has allowed glass cullet to become a high-profile design element. From rooftop gardens and pathways to hotel lobbies and private homes, cullet is replacing gray river rock with a splash of color. The Helena YMCA has used glass cullet for paths around its community gardens.
The options available for properly processed glass cullet are varied and constantly expanding. Uses for the cullet are endless, limited only by imagination. Cullet has a viable place in the market by reducing the consumption of traditional materials and providing savings in material expenditures.
Glass can be reused again or it can become part of Montana’s trash pile. It depends on the consumer to decide what to do with an empty bottle; it is a simple decision. TOSS it, or RECYCLE it. To find out if glass recycling is available in your area please click on our "Where to Recycle in Montana" page to find a location near you.
