Glass Recycling Facilities

Glass containers and receptacles enjoy a variety of daily uses in conjunction with modern life. Centuries of glass use correspond with the commercial development of perfumes, beverages, cleaning solutions, condiments, and stored chemicals. Whereas 1980 saw an estimated 750,000 tons of glass material recycled, the industry currently transfers more than 2.4 million tons of material annually.

Elizabeth City Glass Company

• This North Carolina-based recycling and green building products manufacturer was founded in 2001 and currently holds membership in the nationally recognized Green Building Council. The company makes known its use of a patent-pending recycling process that claims to remove 99.9 percent of impurities form its recycled products. The company also claims that it uses no hazardous chemicals during recycling and generates no airborne emissions.

Dlubak Glass

• Dlubak Glass is a 70-year-old multi-state organization that operates glass recycling facilities in both Upper Sandusky, Ohio, and Yuma, Arizona. Dlubak Glass Company recycles more than 70 percent of the nation's auto glass and also processes and sells over 270,000 tons of glass annually. This glass recycler plays a major role in the fiberglass industry as well, as it sells 300 tons of recycled glass per day to fiberglass-related outfits. Dlubak remains a family-owned operation; it was founded in 1932 as a home-based business in Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania.

Ripple Glass

• Based in Kansas City, Missouri, this glass recycling company was formed in response to the need to provide local recycling services to the communities of the greater Kansas City area. According to recent statistics provided by Ripple Glass recycling, Kansas City residents recycle less than 5 percent of their glass and glass-related products annually. This figure lags well behind the national glass recycling rate of 30 percent. These numbers combined with the effort put forth by a consortium of concerned local business and community organizations gave birth to Ripple Glass.

Ecology Action of Texas

• This downtown Austin, Texas, recycling center is a nonprofit membership organization founded in 1970, with a focus on addressing a number of environmental issues. The company provides recycling services while operating as a worker-run cooperative with full union representation for employees. Ecology Action conducts educational tours for the general public, provides small business consultation, and also provides assistance and support for other cooperatives.