Rockbridge County innovator gives recycled glass new life

BY ALICE KEMP

Used glass bottles and food containers are getting a new purpose in landscapes, on farms and many other places thanks to a Rockbridge County innovator.

“Sometimes an idea pops in your head and you say ‘Oh, that’s a great idea,’ and then it goes away,” mused Kathy Wirtanen, founder of EarthMagic Recycling. “But then sometimes the idea keeps popping back in your head—and that’s what happened with this.”

That idea was taking discarded glass beverage and food containers and converting them into sand—ultimately keeping them out of the landfill. Her inspiration came from a YouTube video about a New Zealand company employing similar methods to tackle glass recycling, which can be costly and burdensome for localities.

“Across the U.S., we only recycle about 35% of glass annually,” said Wirtanen, a Rockbridge County Farm Bureau member. “And in Virginia, it’s even lower. Virginia only recycles about 15%. I’m hoping that as a community, we can raise some of the glass recycling rates.”

Wirtanen partners with localities, residents and businesses like breweries, cideries and wineries to source the food and beverage glass. Hosting bimonthly drop-off events, she’s processed approximately 19,000 pounds of glass into 6.5 tons of sand since February.

Housed in Buena Vista’s former Mundet-Hermetite Inc. factory that previously printed paper products for the tobacco industry, EarthMagic Recycling’s machines separate glass into five different sizes and various colors. Ranging from a coarse gravel-sized glass to a fine powder like flour, it’s processed in a way to ensure there are no sharp edges.

And from crafting to construction, there’s no shortage of uses for the recycled glass sand, Wirtanen said. The larger sizes can be used in landscaping for drainage and filtration while adding a colorful decorative touch. The smaller sizes work well for animal bedding and to help keep areas clean.

She uses it for her own chickens, and in her garden to help break up the heavy, clay-packed soil.

“In our chicken run, it actually helps with cleanliness because the sand filters,” she explained. “As it rains, the chicken waste sort of just goes down through the sand and it makes their area cleaner.”

It’s also useful in hydroponics, in orchards and as a growing medium for microgreens.

“There are a lot of folks who are using sand in nurseries, in vineyards and orchards,” she added. “It can be used like a weed control. It also absorbs the sun, so it keeps the soil warmer and helps the (grape) vines grow faster.”

Community response has been positive, she said. A local hemp grower expressed interest in using her recycled glass sand in its potting mix, and Natural Bridge State Park is using it in a new disc golf course.

“Our vision is just to make a difference in the environment,” she said. “Even if it’s one piece of glass at a time.”