I've worked in recycled glass technology since 1991.  As an engineer and business assistance specialist with the Clean Washington Center from 1991 to 1997, one of my jobs was to manage projects testing recycled glass in a variety of applications.  In the state of Washington, as throughout most of the geographical U.S., there are poor or no markets for some types of recycled glass.  One of our mandates was to try to create new markets by technically proving innovative uses.  Applications on which we performed some of the seminal technical work included the use of glass as a construction aggregate, blasting abrasive, filtration medium, hydroponic growth medium, and many others.  Although the Clean Washington Center no longer exists, you can still see reports our projects generated at http://www.cwc.org/glass.htm.

The problem with most of the applications we tested was that, at base, they amounted to substituting recycled glass for rock or sand.  Rock and sand are still very inexpensive in most parts of the United States, so it was very difficult to imagine collecting glass, crushing it into the equivalent of rock, selling it for, say, $10 per ton, and maintaining the collection program.  

In about 1994, while doing some research, I came across an article by a university professor reporting on some preliminary tests of using finely ground glass in "powder processes."  In these tests the glass was combined with a small amount of a binder, like flour, water was added, and small tiles were pressed.  The pressed tiles were placed in a kiln and heated to about 1400F.  At that temperature, the binder burned out, and the glass particles "sintered" into solid glass tiles.  Reading the article I felt that I had finally found what I was looking for: an application where using recycled glass actually was preferable to using virgin raw materials to make a product that could command a substantial value per pound.  Ceramic tiles retail for anywhere from $2 to $200 per square foot.  They weigh about 4 pounds per square foot, so the equivalent per ton cost is $1000 to $100,000 per ton.  Now THAT's assigning some value to a recycled material.

Since 1994 I have done a number of things professionally, but I have continually experimented with glass in kiln processes.  This web site is about getting some of the information I've developed into the hands of anyone interested in doing their own experimentation.

From 2004 to 2006 I was involved with a project sponsored by the California Department of Conservation and managed by the Center for Environmental Economic Development of Arcata, CA.  That project had two aspects:
1) informing the ceramic industry in California about the potential advantages of using recycled glass as a raw material, and
2) holding workshops for ceramic and glass artists to disseminate information on the use of recycled glass in ceramics.
Much of the information presented here was developed during that project.

For me, this is about two things:
1) developing a value-added use for an abundant recycled material, and
2) learning to fire beautiful objects at lower temperatures than are normally used, saving energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Was it Lenin who said "To each according to his needs and from each according to his capabilities?"  It just goes to show you that wisdom is where you find it.  In the last decade most of us have come to realize that the way we live our lives is having a lasting, and possibly devastating, effect on this lovely planet.  If we are to leave a livable place for future generations, then it is incumbent upon each of us to examine how we do things and to inventory our capabilities to see how we can contribute to the survival of the planet.  It may, indeed, be too late to turn this ship around, but how can we not try?

This site is a work in progress.  On the next page you will find a Table of Contents, which will grow as techniques and knowledge are added.

One final thing.  I see so many products in the news and on the internet these days that are so obviously "greenwash."  People make stuff out of art glass or virgin materials and call it "Recycled."  In the words of the Churchlady, "How conveenient."  In the best light, it's rationalization.  In the worst, it's lying and actually harms the environment because it squeezes out really recycled content products.  What kind of a person would do that?  I also see products that are obviously just fused glass or glass in concrete, that are presented as if they're some secret process.  You are free, in fact invited, to use any information you find here.  If you quote me or copy text or photos, you must properly attribute them.  Seems like the courteous thing to do anyway.  One reason I'm doing this is to take intellectual property issues for using glass with clay off the table.

If you try these things and have success, please let me know, and, if possible, please post results I can link to. Thanks. 

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