Ripple Glass, a company of Strategic Materials, Inc., North America’s largest glass recycler, is collaborating with building materials leader Owens Corning in recognition of America Recycles Day on Nov. 15. Ripple Glass will host glass recycling events, swag giveaways and a social media campaign to support the collection program, with bins in their bold purple color. With the mantra “Give Glass a Second Life,” Ripple Glass launched their expansion in Atlanta earlier this year and collects more than 1.6 million pounds of glass each week nationwide. Owens Corning was the inventor of fiberglass in 1938 and uses recycled glass and other natural ingredients in its PINK Next Gen Fiberglas insulation batts and rolls. They also feature a variety of insulation products for every application, from attic to basement, and a full line of roofing products at home centers nationwide.
“What better way to honor America Recycles Day on November 15th than to launch the first Ripple Glass – Owens Corning sponsored collection bin at Atlanta’s CHaRM/Live Thrive, a well-respected nonprofit in the area,” said Laura Hennemann, SVP of sustainability and corporate affairs at Ripple Glass. “The bin will continue to move around the metro area for the community to see, and we will host a glass recycling pop-up event in the future.” CHaRM/Live Thrive is located at 1110 Hill St. SE in Atlanta.
“We are proud to work with Ripple Glass on this exciting recycling effort,” said Eric Miller, marketing leader at Owens Corning – Home Center. “Atlanta is a great launch point since our national retail partner, The Home Depot, is based here.” Miller said consumers and pros can go to Home Depot’s website to learn more about Owens Corning PINK Next Gen Fiberglas insulation, especially as winter approaches. He noted that Owens Corning also operates the Fairburn, Georgia, insulation manufacturing facility outside of Atlanta, so there is a direct connection to the glass consumers bring to the bin.
The market for recycled glass in Georgia is uniquely positioned, with strong demand from several leading fiberglass insulation companies operating in the state. The use of recycled glass in the production of new fiberglass insulation offsets the need for virgin, mined material, such as sand. Recycled glass also melts at a lower temperature, resulting in more responsible manufacturing by lowering energy usage and reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Georgia residents can recycle a glass bottle with the Ripple Glass program, and it’ll be back on a local shelf as insulation in less than 30 days. Six glass bottles are able to generate enough fiberglass insulation for one standard wall cavity.
From a sustainability standpoint, PINK Next Gen Fiberglas insulation uses more than 1 billion pounds of glass recycled each year,1 with the highest recycled content in the industry.2
With advanced fiber technology, Owens Corning’s PINK Next Gen Fiberglas insulation provides advantages for both the building industry and homeowners. It features a material that is as soft as cotton and installs quickly, easily and with great wall cavity coverage. Learn more here or look for Owens Corning insulation at www.homedepot.com.
Photo courtesy of Ripple Glass
References
1 Company-wide total from the Owens Corning Sustainability Report in 2022.
2 Total recycled content for unfaced fiberglass insulation products in North America based on current third-party certified recycled content certifications for Owens Corning, Knauf, CertainTeed and Johns Manville. Validated by Owens Corning Sustainability in September 2023.
