NRRA Pursues New Glass Recycling Opportunities
Since last fall and in recent months, NRRA staff have been working to develop three potential new outlets for recycling glass through NRRA. One involves a new facility in Massachusetts for current NRRA vendor 2M Ressources, one is a brand new company being established, and the last involves an existing company opening a new facility to recycle glass. NRRA carefully vets potential vendors and staff have had numerous communications with these potential glass recycling outlets.
2M Ressources
NRRA currently works with 2M Ressources to send glass bottles and jars to their facility outside Montreal, Canada. 2M Ressources has opened a new facility in Hopedale, MA and looks forward to accepting glass bottles and jars from municipalities through NRRA in the near future. As described in a recent news article, 2M Ressources chose the Hopedale, MA location in part because of its proximity to a rail yard. Similar to its original facility in Canada, the Hopedale, MA glass will be processed and sold to manufacturers to be made into new glass bottles and jars and fiberglass insulation.
Glavel, Inc.
Glavel, Inc. is a new Vermont-based company that specializes in manufacturing lightweight aggregate from recycled glass . Glavel's Essex, VT facility is expected to begin accepting and processing crushed glass in early 2022. Unlike glass going to 2M Ressources, Glavel can accept glass with some level of contaminants like Pyrex and ceramics, and they want crushed glass. NRRA provided samples of processed glass aggregate (PGA) from its PGA host sites that were tested and approved by Glavel. A recent news article shares more details about Glavel's plans.
CellBlock Fire Containment Systems
CellBlock Fire Containment Systems sells fire suppression products for problematic fires including metal, lithium-ion battery cells, and combustible liquids. Its CellBlockEX product is used for extinguishing fires and is comprised of glass granulates repurposed from recycled glass. CellBlock is looking into developing a new facility in New England to accept crushed glass to be recycled into CellBlock products and expects to begin accepting glass in the latter half of 2022. Unlike glass going to 2M Ressources, CellBlock can accept glass with some level of contaminants like Pyrex and ceramics, and they want crushed glass. NRRA provided samples of PGA from its PGA host sites, which were tested and approved by CellBlock.
NRRA staff will share additional updates as new glass recycling opportunities become available for NRRA municipal members. In the meantime, feel free to contact Reagan Bissonnette, NRRA Executive Director, with any questions at rbissonnette@nrrarecycles.org or (603) 736-4401 x116.