New factory in NJ will keep unrecyclable glass out of landfills

What’s being billed as the largest glass recycling facility in the world is being built right here in the Garden State.

On Tuesday, a ground-breaking ceremony was held in Andover for Pace Glass.

According to Pace Glass CEO George Valiotis, the plant will be able to recycle more glass in different ways than anybody else.

“It’s being designed to handle the dirtiest of feedstock,” he said.

He explained much of the glass that will be collected and recycled will come from material recovery facilities, known as MRFs, where it’s been mixed and crushed together with other types of garbage.

Valiotis explained about 99 percent of glass that gets crushed and contaminated with other products at material recovery facilities is currently shipped off to landfills. But his operation will change things.

“We process that material and recover the glass from it," he said.

He explained some of the recycled glass will be sold back to bottling companies and some of it will go to fiberglass manufacturing plants

“We think of ourselves as closing the loop and really contributing to the circular economy. We believe the landfills should be preserved for things that actually are garbage.”

He said in addition to bringing crushed glass to his facility by truck from all over the Northeast, it may also be shipped via train.

He noted optical sorters will be used to separate glass fragments that are processed.

The new facility should be open and operational by next summer.

You can contact reporter David Matthau at David.Matthau@townsquaremedia.com

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