Ripple Glass Seeks Glass from Iowa City

The city of Sioux City, Iowa, has been confronted by the challenge of keeping glass in its curbside collection program. The hauler, Gill Hauling, who has been contracted to collect recyclables, has voiced concern that glass has declined to a level that has no perceived value.

Gill Hauling has sought to drop glass from the materials it handles. The collected recyclables had previously been shipped to FirstStar Recycling, an Omaha, Neb.,-based recycling company. However, Ripple Glass, headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., which says it has a ready end market for scrap glass, has offered to take in all glass containers.

Nancy Utter, director of business development for Ripple Glass, says that the company already has end markets for clear, amber and green glass. She says two predominate cullet streams are produced. Segregated amber is used by Verallia, a bottler located in Sapulpa, Okla., which makes new bottles for Boulevard Brewery. A three mix, fine-grind cullet will be used by Owens Corning’s Kansas City, Mo., plant to make fiberglass insulation.

Additionally, Utter says that Ripple Glass supplies cullet to other companies that produce countertops and tile.

Under a proposal offered by Ripple Glass, the company would spot several glass bunkers throughout the city where the material could be collected.

According to local reports, the Sioux City’s City Council directed city staff to obtain more details on what it would cost to allow Ripple Glass to take over glass recycling. Gill Hauling would service the roll-offs and consolidate the glass into truck-load quantities at Ripple Glass’ transfer station.