UK Agency Promoting Recycled Glass Use

The Waste & Resources Action Programme is promoting what it considers a growing end market for recycled glass. According to a report by Entec UK Ltd., on behalf of WRAP, the use of recycled glass as a filtration media in industrial wastewater and process water treatment is an excellent opportunity.

The research found that four sectors show the greatest uptake potential for recycled glass filtration media based on assessment criteria including industry size and economics, water use, regulatory pressure and risk.  These are:

            manufacture of food products and beverages;

            manufacture of pulp and paper;

            manufacture of basic metals; and

            manufacture of motor vehicles.

The commercial application of recycled glass as a filtration media has been led by Dryden Aqua through its Active Filter Media product, which was developed in collaboration with WRAP.  Findings of previous trials involving AFM in the water utility and automotive sectors have indicated a number of performance benefits over alternatives, in particular, a reduction in biofouling and clogging - a common problem when using traditional sand.

Further detailed analysis of the food and drink manufacturing industry identified the sub-sectors that show the greatest uptake potential as being dairies and milk processing, breweries and fruit and vegetable processing.  Within these sub-sectors, recycled glass filtration media could be readily adopted:

            as a tertiary effluent treatment technology;

            as a treatment technology to enable the recycling of process water; and

            as a filtration technology for boiler feed water.

In the first half of 2005, WRAP is funding two sets of operational trials for recycled glass filtration media.  It anticipates that the results will not only lead to ongoing use of recycled glass but will also help to increase the level of understanding of the benefits of using the product across the industry sectors involved.

These trials involve the application of recycled glass filtration media for tertiary treatment of domestic and industrial wastewater in the following industry sectors: pulp and paper, domestic sewage treatment, food and drink processing and canal water purification.

Bronnie Allen, WRAP’s materials development manager for glass, said: “WRAP is looking to stimulate the recycling of an additional 150,000 metric tons per annum of glass into higher value alternative markets, and these research results are invaluable in helping WRAP to determine key application areas and industries where our focus should be directed.

“Increased regulatory pressure, higher sewage discharge, landfill and mains water costs all add to the need for industries to look at improved filtration media and interest is already strong in using this 100% recycled glass product. The results from the operational trials secured for 2005 should provide further evidence to companies that it really is the filtration product of the future.”

A second round of funding will be launched this month for additional operational trials covering higher value alternative markets for recycled glass.