Eco Recycled Glass

Eco recycled glass - Is it really eco?

Description

• Virgin products are made from a combination of sand, soda ash and lime
• Recycled glass can be made from any percentage of post consumer and post industrial waste
• Available in a range of colours, although processing generally creates a green tint when recycled content has been used

Uses

• Flooring, worktops, partition walls, blocks, tiles (floor and wall), panels, lamp shades, dining ware, mirrors, decoration, ornaments and accessories
• Exterior glazing
• Low-emissivity glass combats heat loss in windows

Advantages

• Whether a virgin product or with recycled content it is resistant to heat, acid and staining
• 100% recycled content is stronger on impact than concrete

Disadvantages

• Prone to damage from point load impact and high impact
• Can become scratched
• Polished surface is prone to showing up smears, grease, fingerprints and dirt
• For interior features, regular cleaning is needed

Embodied Energy

• Mining and extraction of virgin glass materials is energy intensive.
• Recycled glass collection may be sourced from commercial companies e.g. restaurants, pubs, bars who may not have an active recycling programme.
• Some manufacturers only collect waste glass within a small radius from their processing plant, which cuts down on excessive transport
• Manufacturing process of virgin glass creates high levels of embodied energy due to the use of natural resources.
• Virgin glass production reaches temperatures of over 1500 degrees Celsius
• Manufacturing of recycled glass uses less natural resources to process
• Manufacturers either produce slab or moulded glass products, slab creates extra waste when cut down on site, moulded products are bespoke and do not create any waste by-products
• Some manufacturers have environmental initiatives e.g. factories with added insulation, daylighting methods, water and solvent recycling
• Some manufacturers keep transport emissions reduced by sharing vans and delivering locally
• Some manufacturers recycle all of their glass waste back into the production cycle
• Glass whether virgin or recycled is a heavy product, this requires more transportation resources if shipped overseas
• Some recycled glass manufacturers do not heat or melt the recycled glass, they crush and combine with a resin

Source/Origin

• Local

Renewable

• Raw materials are in large supply

Environment & Health

• Latex setting materials contain VOCs
• Eco cement can be used with magnesium oxide and a lower heat input during manufacture
• Added resins with crushed glass particles can be chemically laden with toxins that offgas
• Does not offgas
• Use a water based grout that does not contain VOCs

Performance

• Durable and tough
• Designed for re-use

Recycled content

• Frit is finely ground 'post consumer' glass used as the base material for use in manufacture for recycled material
• Can be recycled limitlessly without a loss in performance or quality

Disposal / Biodegradable

• Non-biodegradable