Glass Manufacturing Industry Council
Glass Recycling Division
P.O. Box 6136
Westerville, Ohio 43086-6136
For Immediate Release
December 11, 2003
For More Information, Contact:
Todd McCollough, Manager, Glass Recycling Division
614/818-9485 tmccollough@gmic.org
GMIC forms Glass Recycling Division
Focus will be alternative uses
(Columbus, OH) — A newly formed division of the Glass Manufacturing Industry Council (GMIC)
will promote and advocate the use of cullet in alternative products.
The GMIC recently established the Glass Recycling Division (GRD), which will serve to link
interested parties together to facilitate the development of necessary tools and practices to improve the
knowledge about and information relating to the beneficial use of glass.
“Our ultimate goal is to divert post-manufacturing and post-consumer glass—that would otherwise be
sent to landfills—to a variety of added-value products and processes,” said Todd McCollough, GRD
Manager. “We will link individuals, organizations, companies, and municipalities to coordinate efforts to
expand beneficial uses of glass that isn’t destined to be re-used in a melting furnace.”
McCollough said the GRD is in its early phases of development, and currently is recruiting members.
The Division will provide numerous information-related services to its members, including:
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A directory of glass users and cullet providers
A website to promote members’ activities and products
Chat pages to address industry issues
Communication on regulatory factors
Information retrieval service regarding technologies, sources for glass, and industry activities
Research for R&D grant opportunities
GMIC Executive Director Michael Greenman pointed out that the formation of the GRD is one of
three initiatives of a national action plan to address challenges to glass recycling. Besides the GMIC, other
organizations involved are the National Recycling Coalition (NRC), the Glass Packaging Institute (GPI),
and Recycle America Alliance (RAA).
As part of the project, Greenman explained, three independent workgroups have formed. One group
will work to identify the critical costs points in the glass container recycling system, with a goal of devising
and implementing strategies to improve the performance and cost-effectiveness of the glass recycling
system.
The second group will assess the feasibility and desirability of establishing an industry-wide
standardized system for measuring cullet quality. That group’s goal is to improve the quality of glass cullet
by enhancing the effectiveness of the feedback loop for material quality between suppliers, processors, and
end users, said Greenman.
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Glass Recycling Division—page 2
The third workgroup (under which the GMIC formed its Glass Recycling Division) is examining the
challenges and opportunities for increasing cullet use in alternative (other than glass container) products. It
also will support the efforts of the other two groups to improve glass recycling effectiveness overall.
Greenman stressed that the success of the GRD is vital because of the dilemma surrounding glass
recycling in the United States.
“There are numerous issues and problems in the glass recycling industry, all of which are making
headlines every day,” he said. “This country is far behind others that are excelling in their glass recycling
efforts.”
He went on to note that studies show there are numerous alternative glass-product markets, including
concrete applications, construction aggregates, drainage media, insulation applications, paving applications,
blast media/peening agents, building materials, decorative materials, and art objects.
“We believe our Divison will help facilitate the development of new glass markets and the growth of
existing ones,” Greenman said. “This will have a significant impact on future uses, and keep glass from
landfills.”
Individuals, businesses, municipalities or other entities interested in the Glass Recycling Division may
contact Todd McCollough at the GMIC via Email at tmccollough@gmic.org or by calling 614/818-9485;
or Michael Greenman at mgreenman@gmic.org or 614/818-9423.
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