Maryland's Baltimore County partners with Cap Glass to process glass

Maryland’s Baltimore County has announced that its Department of Public Works, Bureau of Solid Waste Management, has started a new glass recycling program in partnership with Cap Glass Inc. of Connellsville, Pennsylvania. 

Under the 10-year agreement, the county will deliver glass from the Cockeysville Material Recovery Facility (MRF) to the Cap Glass facility in Baltimore city. Baltimore County reports that Cap Glass will process the glass to remove contaminants and recover marketable glass; the marketable glass will be sent to O-I Glass to make new glass containers. 

According to a news release from Baltimore County, the new glass recycling program will expand the number of products and the volume of material that the county will be able to market. The county started delivering glass loads to Cap Glass July 20. 

“This is an important initiative to expand the County’s current recycling efforts,” says Michael R. Beichler, chief of the Baltimore County Department of Public Works’ Bureau of Solid Waste Management. “We’re thankful to engage in this productive partnership with Cap Glass and are looking forward to working together for years to come.” 

Until 2013, Baltimore County directly processed glass recycling; however, the county experienced technical and financial limitations that prevented efficient glass recycling. Baltimore County reports that this new agreement is the result of its multiyear search for a sustainable glass market. Johnny Olszewski, the county’s executive, provided new funding in the county’s fiscal year 2021 budget to help support the county’s efforts to pursue a cost-efficient glass recycling initiative. Since taking office, Olszewski also created the county’s first chief sustainability officer who is leading the development of a countywide climate action plan, covering topics such as reduced energy consumption, promotion of green infrastructure and sustainable growth policy.