Developing Markets For Container and Plate Glass in Rural Areas
To process & grade 50 tonnes of container and plate glass to be used in product trials. A krystalline crusher installed at the Cornish Lime site near Bodmin will be used.
To identify and contact businesses (using a revised database) with the potential to use recycled glass in their products and develop market potential. The following four key market areas will be researched in detail:
- golf
- landscaping
- shot blasting
- water filtration
To establish market opportunities in Cornwall for products utilising recycled glass and develop sample products for testing and assessment to ensure they are fit for purpose.
To provide business advice to business in Cornwall producing & using recycled glass, including specifically, Green Glass Ltd - a Cornwall based company who manufacture glassware from post consumer glass bottles.
Background
Through this project the opportunities to use recycled plate and container glass in products will be researched, identified and developed in Cornwall. Using a refined database a number of prospective markets and businesses will be contacted to encourage the trialling of a number of recycled glass products.
Specific product trials will be undertaken with Cornish Lime, a specialist manufacturer of sustainable building products and Custom 21, a manufacturer of bespoke concrete products.
Objectives
The primary objective is to increase the amount of glass recycled in Cornwall. The project will undertake a market assessment to identify and quantify potential local and regional end markets where recycled glass can be used. Products containing recycled glass will be tested and developed in trials.
Assistance will be provided to potential users who show an interest in the use of glass cullet.
It is hoped that the quantity of glass recycled through this research will reach more than 500 tonnes in subsequent years, with a much larger potential if the products developed are successful and marketed on a wider scale.
Cornish Lime will use the glass sand to replace bought in non-recycled sand in its production of lime putties for traditional rendering. The glass sand samples will be tested in combinations of grades and colours on test walls, assessment of performance including fitness for purpose and visual attractiveness.
Custom 21 has already developed a prototype polished indoor terrazzo tile using the glass cullet. This new product will be tested by local end users identified under the market research element of the trial.
The long term aspiration of the market development project is to establish a local glass re-processing plant in Cornwall serving the South West, and in so doing, stimulate the demand for glass collected from local councils and other sources. Glass currently collected has to be transported long distances for processing so finding local users will make a significant impact on its market value, especially for added value applications.
Update
The shot blasting and golfing/landscape sectors in Cornwall are currently under review. An interim report will be available in November 2005.
Documents
-
Developing Markets for Container and Plate (Flat) Glass in Rural Areas
1214 kb
This report has looked at reducing the amount of waste glass that is either sent to land fill or transported over long distances from sources within Cornwall, by identifying uses for glass recyclate. It also considers the potential markets and customers both local and regional and the environmental impact of using recycled glass against alternative materials.
