Glass Trip: Day One

Day One of the much anticipated West Virginia Glass and Ceramics trip began with a trip to Gabbert Cullet, located in Williamstown, WV.

Sorting bays

Gabbert differs from most of the other stops on the trip in that they do not, nor have they ever produced glass.  Instead, Gabbert specializes in the acquisition, sorting, and resale of cullet.  Cullet is a waste product of glass production created from glass that was broken during production, scraps created from the manufacturing process, or that simply did not pass inspection.  Cullet is put into huge piles at glass factories, then Gabbert picks it up, trucks it to the facility, sorts it, and puts it in huge concrete bays.  Glass makers then purchase the cullet by the pound.  

Sorted Cullet in a bay

Even though it might seem like trash to some, cullet is one of the main ingredients in the production of glass because it can be remelted and formed into a new creation.  This is especially important for small glass makers such as glass artists who do not operate on a large scale.  Cullet is not limited to small glass makers; even large operation such as Blenko use some cullet to "get a batch started."  Other large users are companies that might not need a "pure" glass, such as the makers of the marble used as the agitator in a can of spray paint. Cullet is not just used to make glass, but can be used in its own right for decoration, or can be    ground up into sand for industrial purposes.

Using what you already know about the manufacturing of glass, explain some ways in which cullet can not only be beneficial simply because of its being recycled, but think of the bigger picture, ie all of the things that go into producing glass in the first place.  Do not limit yourself to only financial benefits, but also consider environmental impacts as well.  Be thorough.