Glass doesn’t break down in landfills, but when diverted it can become a useful resource. This initiative collects glass waste from local restaurants and bars so it can avoid the landfill and be used as aggregate in local projects.
Keep Blount Beautiful’s Glass Waste Diversion Program was created to better utilize the glass waste created at Maryville restaurants and bars that would otherwise be buried in the Blount County Landfill. Through this program, KBB provides the missing link between participating businesses and the Blount County Recycling Center by picking up their glass waste and delivering it to the center where it’s pulverized and repurposed as aggregate in local projects.
About Blount County Glass Recycling- The Blount County Highway Department’s unique glass recycling program, spearheaded by Highway Superintendent Jeff Headrick, collects glass from Blount County residents and various commercial collectors (including the Glass Waste Diversion Program) and pulverizes the waste material on site into gravel-like pieces and a fine sand. This byproduct is stored to use as a substitute for aggregate, shoulder stone, pipe bedding, underlay, and more in local projects. Since collection started in September 2022, the Blount County Highway Department has diverted over a 1.5 million pounds of glass waste from the Blount County Landfill. Access to this pulverized glass product allows the county to reduce the use of natural aggregate, save taxpayer money, and extend the life of the landfill.
Glass of any color is accepted at the Blount County Recycling Center in the blue bin labeled “Glass Only”. Please remove caps, lids, and corks. Laminated glass, pottery, ceramics, lightbulbs, and candle jars are not accepted.
The Glass Waste Diversion Program is funded by the Arconic Foundation with in-kind support from Epic Nine Marketing. Program partners include Bella, The Raven, Amici, Southland Books and Cafe/The Bird and the Book, RT Lodge, Daisy’s Non-alcoholic Bar & Bottle Shop, DSB Provisions, The Armory, and the Blount County Highway Department.
