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Glass recycling hype misses a big piece of the puzzle
Many in our trade say using recycled glass is the top way to be sustainable. I disagree because the cleaning and melting steps often use tons of energy, sometimes more than making new glass. On my projects, contaminated recycled material gets tossed, creating extra waste. Focusing on long-lasting installations and local suppliers might be better for the planet overall.
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lucas_carr242mo ago
Hate to nitpick @oscar_rivera95, but local sand quarries still run diesel loaders and crushers to dig that stuff up. The energy math on virgin glass isn't squeaky clean either.
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oscar_rivera956mo ago
Wait, nobody's talking about the weight of glass for transport. Moving crushed glass or bottles across states burns so much fuel. That old glass is heavy, and trucks are mostly diesel. So even before cleaning, you've already burned more fuel than a local sand quarry might use. The math changes when you count those miles.
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