WRAP Boosting Recycled Glass Usage

A building products company with the potential to manufacture construction products such as pavers and brick cladding with high recycled glass content is being offered development support by the Waste & Resources Action Programme.

Stoneglass Building Products Ltd. will receive incubation services and support from the Imperial Innovations Recycling Commercialisation Centre, a facility funded by WRAP to bring new recycling products and technologies to market. It is the second company to receive support via this route, and was chosen on the basis that it has the potential to reduce waste to landfill and make a significant impact on glass recycling.

"Stoneglass’ technology enables very large tonnages of post consumer glass to replace virgin raw materials in the manufacture of cost competitive, high quality, building products. We are delighted to have the support of the Recycling Commercialisation Centre and we look forward to working with them to bring the advantages of our technology to the volume building products market," said Michael Anderson MD of Stoneglass Building.

Stoneglass first received WRAP support to develop its alternative technology through funding large-scale trials, and conducting detailed market research, economic feasibility studies and an environmental impact assessment.

These studies showed that the Stoneglass products required about 25 percent less resource than traditional clay products to make, had lower drying requirements and could be fired at much cooler temperatures than their clay equivalent, resulting in lower energy requirements. WRAP has calculated that the Stoneglass process reduces CO2 impact by one third when compared to traditional clay counterparts.

The Centre will assist in the development of Stoneglass by:

• providing resources for technical testing and business planning;

• augmenting the existing management team;

• providing access to funds and investors; and

• developing and exploiting product markets.