Today marked the opening of the a brand new clean glass recycling facility in Salt Lake City. The facility, operated by Momentum Recycling, will process glass waste from Salt Lake City and other cities in Utah and beyond.
“We are very excited to help Utah increase glass recycling,” says Justin Mills, Plant Manager at Momentum Recycling. “This facility is only the second of its kind in the US, and it results in very high quality cullet for our customers. This drives demand for more cullet, which in turn drives demand for post-consumer glass, and allows us to make glass recycling affordable for many cities and counties in Utah that have never had glass recycling.”
Salt Lake City’s partnership with Momentum Recycling has moved the city forward with glass recycling – a top priority for both Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker and the City Council.
In November 2012, curbside glass recycling service was offered to roughly half of Salt Lake City households. The pilot project was an instant success, with thousands of households participating in the program. As of April 2013, the curbside program has expanded to offer a service to all city residents. Residents who would like to register for the voluntary program can do so at www.SLCGreen.com.
In attendance at today’s event were Salt Lake City Councilperson Jill Remington Love, Dan Velasquez with Salt Lake City Economic Development, members of the community and the entire Momentum Recycling staff. Every inch of the facility was on display, and a photo gallery from the event can be viewed on the SLCGreen Facebook page.
Salt Lake City Green was thrilled to be there to help celebrate this important step towards a more sustainable community!
Fiberglass insulation has become a major end market for recycled glass cullet. Fiberglass insulation utilizes clear and green colored glass for manufacturing due to its low iron content. Owen’s Corning has recently opened a new plant in Nephi, Utah and is accepting the majority of the clear and green glass that is processed onsite at Momentum Recycling.
