Recycled Glass Update

[Relene Johnson <relene@turbonet.com>]

Visionaries:

Recently there has been some community discussion regarding glass
collected curbside and at the Moscow Recycling Center.  I have attached
the following update for your information.

Relene Johnson, Vice President
Moscow Recycling/Latah Sanitation, Inc.

September 30, 1999

    In a recent letter to the editor, Nils Peterson, after observing
glass being co-mingled at the Solid Waste Processing Center (SWPC),
asked two questions:  “Why am I even putting it out at the curb for
recycling when it is just being dumped?” and, “Why am I sorting my glass
if they are re-mixing it?”
    Peterson answers his own question to a degree with his observation
that recycling markets occasionally go bad.  Due to its weight, glass
has been displaced by plastic as the preferred container material for
many products, which in turn is causing low demand for recyclable glass
cullet.  In addition, because of Moscow’s location, glass must be
shipped quite a distance at a high cost, since freight costs are based
on weight and distance hauled.  Currently, prices paid at the mill for
recyclable glass cullet do not even cover Moscow Recycling’s freight
costs.
    After careful consideration by the City of Moscow’s Heath and
Environment Commission (the entity which oversees operations at the
Recycling Center), the City gave Moscow Recycling/Latah Sanitation, Inc.
permission to seek local uses for glass.  Although a number of
preferable local solutions are being researched, given the large amount
of glass collected by Moscow Recycling each month, an immediate solution
had to be found.
    The glass collected curbside and at the Recycling Center is not
“just being dumped.”  The majority of crushed glass is being used at the
SWPC as fill to stabilize the unloading area at the
construction/demolition landfill site.  This practice reduces the amount
of rock used at the SWPC and we have found that during wet weather
conditions, the glass actually stays in place better than rock, which
quickly sinks out of sight in the mud.   Some crushed glass is also used
as cover for the construction/demolition landfill to prevent blowing
litter on windy days, a practice which helps keep us in good standing
with our neighbors.
    Reasons for continuing to sort glass are twofold.  First, weight
limitations on the curbside collection truck mean that we can collect
only half of Moscow’s glass each week.  Separating glass by color
accomplishes this in a way that is easy for everyone to understand.
Second, and most important, we are optimistic that market prices for
glass (especially clear glass) will eventually make a comeback.  When
this happens, we can make the transition back to selling glass on the
open market quickly, without having to retrain the recycling public.
    It is everyone's hope that glass markets will improve so that we can
again sell glass for reprocessing.  Until this occurs, we will continue
to seek local solutions for reusing glass.  As always, we welcome your
input and comments.  You can contact me by phone (882-0590) or email
(MoscowRecycling@turbonet.com).