Overview:
America recycles only 33% of its glass waste as compared to 90% in European countries. Though the American glass manufacturing industry is estimated at $22.5 billion, the percentage of glass recycled in America has not significantly changed over the last 25 years.
The Objective:
To implement a sustainability business initiative that can address the gap in efficient glass recycling in America.
The Opportunity:
At present, glass recycling is an underexplored facet of sustainability in America. Glass can be endlessly recycled by crushing, blending, and melting it with other raw materials such as sand. Only one-third of the 10 million metric tons of glass disposed by Americans is recycled. The rest end up in landfills. A business that addresses this has the potential to be profitable while benefiting manufacturers, the environment, and consumers.
The Challenge:
Currently US counties manage glass collection through single-stream curbside collection. This means that glass along with other materials such as aluminum and steel cans, plastic, newsprint, and cardboard are dropped into the same bin. This causes sorting and separating glass a difficult and time-consuming task. Also, soiled glass then has to go through an expensive cleaning process before it can be used. Therefore, the quality of glass obtained from single-stream collection points is often compromised.
The Solution:
The problem can be tackled with a two-pronged approach. The first-step involves collecting glass separate from other household waste to prevent soiling. The second involves modifying the public’s behavior to encourage sustainable glass-recycling habits.
Both these objectives can be achieved through a business model called GlassCream. This sustainable business fits ice cream trucks with glass bottle collection compartments. The ice-cream jingle will attract kids in the neighborhood giving them the opportunity to exchange a certain number of clean glass bottles for an ice-cream cone. Each vehicle will be branded with a rhyme to remind children of the noble purpose of GlassCream:
In go the glass bits spic-and-span
Out pops the ice cream tastin’ grand.
Viability:
GlassCream will have two sources of profit. First, from the retail sales of ice cream sourced at wholesale price, and second, from selling glass bottles to a local glass manufacturer.
Marketing:
Marketing of this unique business model can be done through a multi-channel approach of press releases and local newspaper coverage; posts on NextDoor, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat; videos on YouTube and TikTok; and talks at local schools and radio-stations.
The Benefits:
While counties in America grapple with archaic systems to tackle waste disposal, this solution will produce sustainable results without using taxpayer funds.
The cullet (crushed glass) obtained through this process will reduce the need for raw materials, save on energy costs, reduce imperfections in manufactured glass, and reduce carbon-dioxide emissions—a win for businesses, natural resource conservation, and global warming prevention.
In true entrepreneurial spirit, through GlassCream, a community problem can be changed into an ecologically beneficial profit-generating machine.
GlassCream is an example of how sustainable behavioral change can be achieved by incentivizing younger generations to participate in recycling practices.
Caution: This concept is the work of Nathaniel Mathew and Isabel Mathew. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon this information without their consent is prohibited.