Does anyone need A LOT of pulverized glass?

[jmowreader]

I happen to know where there are 60 18-gallon totes full of pulverized glass sorted by color, and there's a story in that: A couple moved to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and learned you can't recycle glass here. So...they did what every good upstanding liberal with a cause and enough cash to back it up does: They bought a glass pulverizing machine, set it up in a warehouse, and formed a club that picks up and pulverizes glass.

Then they learned WHY you can't recycle glass here: no one in North Idaho deals in pulverized glass. So now they have a cubic shitload of glass and are considering getting out of the business.

If anyone wants it, and can come pick it up, send me a message and I'll hook you up with my editor who will hook you up with the people who have the glass.

[Chan790]

1. No, but I do know who will probably buy it all off them.

One of two companies that deal in recycled glass as a building material for countertops: Vetrazzo and Icestone.

Since it's clean and color-sorted, they'd probably pay better than market rate for pulverized glass.

[global1]

2. Need To Vertically Integrate.....

start another business that uses the glass and recycle it into something that can be sold. How about a countertop business?

[Ganja Ninja]

3. There are companies that take colored glass and make tile and counter tops out of it.

Maybe they could find one to take it off their hands.

[53tammy]

4. Coeur d'Alene has a vibrant art community.

I can't understand why someone wouldn't love such a resource. Our community tried recycling glass for landscaping but with little demand and smaller budgets dropped the program.

Sea glass is all the rage so some could be tumbled and sold to florist, jewelers, someone who makes concrete planters and stepping stones or bird baths. use it sharp under chicken coops to discourage rats.
You could post on backyard chickens web board and get some takers or find a concrete contractor who would use it as fill.

Good luck ,

[watoos]

5. I worked in a glass factory fo 45 years.

People don't realize it, regarding recycling, but 70% of a glass bottle comes from a recycled bottle. Trucks would haul loads of coal from Pa. to the east coast to be shipped overseas and return with ground up wino bottles from NYC. We have glass plants in Colorado and Streetor Illinois, but not sure how much money one would get if any selling to a glass factory. We used to have a scale and people would bring in recycled glass to the plant but we stopped doing that. Green and amber glass can be mixed to make an amber bottle, but clear glass can only be used for clear bottles. One thing we did do was pave a large portion of our parking lot with what we called glassphault. We mixed in ground up glass with the concrete and it held up quite well.

[B Calm]

6. I've heard of that, using glass to pave roads. To me that is

very interesting!

[Marrah_G]

7. You should post this on a website for earthships

I bet someone there would grab it up!

[Coyotl]

8. Spread the word in the local art communities.

Color sorted is a valuable resource.

[jmowreader]

9. They already tried that

We have an art community but the only "accepted" art forms here are plein air painting and abstract oils. I used to date an artist who did jewelry and paper art and couldn't give her work away in town. (She has good results from Etsy tho.)

[matt819]

10. That's pretty funny

In our little New England town we are pretty good at recycling. I don't think the recycling effort makes money, but they make enough to offset a portion of operating costs, salaries, etc. And, of course, being liberal I feel pretty smugly self-righteous by my own recycling.

At the risk of providing unsolicited and pretty self-evident advice, these folks should check with neighboring states to see if they have glass recycling efforts. I doubt they'd pick up, but they might make a plan to deliver the glass on some periodic basis that allows them to continue recycling and to maybe make a little money.

[Horse with no Name]

11. I have a friend that is disabled

and works with glass. She has just gone through a horrible divorce and custody battle and is starting over with nothing and she is close to 50 years old.

She will be moving to Washington State in the next 2 weeks and this would be a Godsend for her so she can start doing some of her art to help transition into her new life.

Would love to be considered for this.