Kuusakoski, Peoria Disposal Co. Partner on KleanKover

Espoo, Finland-based Kuusakoski Recycling has announced a partnership arrangement with the waste and recycling company Peoria Disposal Co. (PDC), Peoria, Ill., to process glass from cathode ray tubes (CRT). The processed glass will be treated and used as landfill alternative daily cover (ADC) at PDC’s Indian Creek landfill in Illinois.

Kuusakoski US, Plainfield, Ill., will process the glass using the patent-pending KleanKover Recycling Solution. The company says the system, developed and permitted by PDC, treats crushed CRT glass by stabilizing the lead contained in the material, virtually preventing leaching. According to Kuusakosi, the process will result in significant savings from more traditional methods of recycling CRTs.

"The KleanKover Recycling Solution is a milestone for an industry that has struggled to provide environmentally responsible and cost-effective solutions to the challenge of CRT glass recycling," says Hannu Melarti, president of Kuusakoski US LLC. "We're thrilled to have partnered with such an established entity as PDC to bridge the immediate and near-term demand for CRT glass recycling with technology and capacity that is domestic, permitted, commercially proven and operational. With our ability to treat 50,000 tons of lead-containing CRT glass annually, we look forward to establishing our footprint in the U.S. and relieving a major pain point in the industry."

Kuusakoski says North America’s four CRT processing facilities can handle about 128,000 tons of CRT glass per year, which falls short of the estimated demand of 392,000 tons per year. PDC and Kuusakoski say they expect to bring 50,000 additional tons of CRT glass processing capacity to North America initially as well as a second U.S. facility. Furthermore, PDC's existing permit holds the option to triple this capacity in the future, Kuusakoski says.

"Although we've been treating crushed CRT glass since 1989, it was Kuusakoski's partnership and capacity commitment that challenged us to develop this alternate daily cover end use," says Chris Coulter, PDC vice president. "With existing CRT processing options and facilities reaching a dead end, a new route to CRT management is vital within the coming decade, and we look forward to fulfilling that need." 

In advance of the Kuusakoski/PDC partnership, Kuusakoski released a white paper on the outlook for CRT recycling in the United States. To view the white paper click here.

Kuusakoski US is the U.S. division of Kuusakoski Recycling. Kuusakoski operations span 12 countries, three continents and 48 states.