Dennis to Cut Ribbon on New Glass Recycling Depot

DENNIS – The Department of Public Works in Dennis has completed its new Glass Recycling Depot and will host a ribbon cutting ceremony for the facility Thursday morning.

Cape Cod communities will be able to bring glass recyclables to Dennis at a cost of $60 per ton. It will be processed into glass aggregate by an outside vendor contracted by the non-profit Northeast Resource Recovery Association once or twice per year.

“We are truly closing the loop on recycling glass here on Cape Cod,” said Dave Johansen, the Dennis Director of Public Works.

Harwich, Wellfleet and Barnstable have agreed to participate.

“For each ton of glass they bring to our facility they must commit to take one ton of processed glass aggregate back to their municipality so they can use it in construction projects,” Johansen said.

The glass aggregate is used in road and highway projects, or for pipe bedding.

Communities in the state and across the nation are struggling to recycle and reuse glass. The demand for the glass has decreased in China which has resulted in many recycling businesses to close down domestically as prices continue to rise.

A major reason for China closing its borders to the recycled glass is contamination, which has limited the number of ways the material can be utilized.

It has become cheaper to use new glass as opposed of using recycled glass.

Recycling glass used to cost communities between $20-$35 per ton and that number has skyrocketed up to $80-$95.

Johansen says participating towns will save money on tipping fees and transportation costs.

“Many towns on the Cape are transporting their glass off-Cape at significant cost,” he said.

Johansen said Dennis was making two- to three-hour round trip hauls off Cape to transport its glass recyclables.

Dennis officials have heard that Yarmouth and Mashpee may soon decide to separate out their glass recycling, which may lead to those communities participating.

The public is invited to the ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. at the Dennis Transfer Station.

“We look forward to having the public and anybody who is interested to see a cutting edge project for the Town of Dennis,” Johansen said.

The project was partially funded by a $120,500 grant from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.

By BRIAN MERCHANT, CapeCod.com NewsCenter

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