Glass doesn’t break down in landfills, but through our Glass Waste Diversion Program, it can become a useful resource. This initiative collects glass from participating businesses and delivers it to the Blount County Recycling Center, where it’s pulverized and reused as aggregate.
Diverting waste from the landfill is a continuous effort that can be addressed by creating more opportunities to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Keep Blount Beautiful’s NEW Glass Recycling Diversion Program was created to better utilize the glass waste generated from Maryville restaurants and bars that is currently being buried in the Blount County landfill.
Funded by the Arconic Foundation, the Glass Waste Diversion Program aims to make better use of glass waste created at local restaurants and bars that would normally end up in the landfill. Through this program, KBB provides the missing link between participating businesses and the Blount County Recycling Center by picking up glass waste and delivering it to the center for recycling. The Blount County Highway Department’s unique glass recycling program collects glass from Blount County residents and various other sources and pulverizes the waste material on-site. The byproduct is then stored to use as a substitute for aggregate, shoulder stone, pipe bedding, underlay, and more in local projects. Since collection started in September 2022, over a million lbs of glass waste has been diverted from the Blount County Landfill. Access to this pulverized glass product allows the county to reduce the use of natural resources, save taxpayer money, and extend the life of the landfill.
Glass is accepted at the Blount County Recycling Center in the blue bin labeled Glass Only. Please remove caps and lids from glass items. Laminated glass, pottery, and ceramics are not accepted.
The Glass Waste Diversion Program is funded by the Arconic Foundation. In kind sponsors include Epic Nine Marketing. Program partners include Bella, Amici, Southland Books and Cafe/The Bird and the Book, RT Lodge, Downtown Maryville Alliance, and the Blount County Highway Department.
