LCL Industries to Consume Mixed-Color Container Glass in Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center (RMC) has announced that it has coordinated the launch of a new women-owned enterprise that it says will revolutionize recycled glass use in Pennsylvania and nationally.

LCL Industries Inc. (LCL), in Pennsylvania’s Schuylkill County, approximately 80 miles northwest of Philadelphia, will primarily use triple mix container glass, the color mixed fraction of clear, brown and green glass that is a result of many recycling programs, to manufacture grit abrasives and potable water filtration media. At full production, this $6 million project will create approximately 25 jobs while using 30,000 tons of recycled glass per year. Additionally, the company’s processing technology uses 75 percent less energy than conventional glass processing equipment.

The RMC facilitated negotiations between LCL Industries and England-based Krysteline Group Ltd., resulting in LCL also being recognized as Krysteline’s sole North American headquarters. Financial support from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Recycling Markets Infrastructure Development Grant, awarded in the amount of $500,000 to LCL Industries Inc., was instrumental in the foundation of this project.  

LCL will be the first company in the western hemisphere to use Krysteline’s advanced glass processing Implosion equipment. Krysteline has patented a technology that implodes glass to size reduce the material. This technology uses principles of implosion to shatter the glass, reducing mechanical wear and operating costs, according to the company. Typically, the resulting glass products are more geometrically uniform than recycled glass products produced from traditional equipment, according to a press release issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

“Without involvement of RMC, it is likely our efforts to invest in Pennsylvania would not have occurred and certainly would not have occurred as rapidly in the States,” Stefan Michal, managing director, Krysteline, says. 

“Pennsylvania recognizes that there are innovative companies out there that are working hard to find new, novel ways to preserve our natural resources by recycling existing materials and creating other products,” DEP Deputy Secretary Thomas Fidler says. “With this project, just as with other exciting recycling projects across the commonwealth, we’re investing our resources to help build demand on the part of manufacturers for recovered glass, metal, plastic, paper and other recyclable materials. That leads to a stronger recycling market in Pennsylvania, a stronger economy and a cleaner environment.”

LCL’s keystone product will be expendable blast abrasives, the primary benefits of which include a 25 percent to 30 percent reduction in pneumatic blasting pressure when applying the abrasive material, which significantly reduces energy consumption during use. Additionally, the recycled glass abrasive does not cause silicosis, unlike natural sands.

Krysteline has recognized LCL as its North American contact for the entire range of glass implosion equipment, including high-performance industrial systems to smaller commercial size units for use in bars and restaurants.

“We are excited to launch our business at a time when Pennsylvania has been so supportive of our manufacturing effort," Laura Baranko, vice president and partner, LCL Industries, says. "Had it not been for the persistence of RMC, we would not be at this stage in our development. We are thankful for our continued DEP support.”