A new co-op in the city shows people how to recycle on a personal scale.
Adam Braye
Kicker
Newfoundsand held the first of what they hope to be many glass drop-offs at the St. Johns Farmers Market Saturday.
Instead of tossing out the unused glass piling up in people’s cupboards into the garbage, residents are being urged to consider smashing it back from whence it came – sand.
The idea is to glass containers such as old pasta sauce jars and empty wine bottles and crush it into low-grade sand and further process it into a finer sand-like substance.
Dave Saunders came up with the idea for Newfoundsand after stumbling upon a video of someone crushing glass into sand on social media.
After workshopping some ideas in his shed, he eventually had a “eureka” moment.
“We want to show people with their own eyes that it can be done and that it can be done here,” said Saunders.
For their first collection of glass, Newfoundsand says they received great community feedback and collected approximately 363 kilograms of glass.
“We want to get people excited and show them what can be done with their old glass bottles or jars,” said Amanda Blackwood, a volunteer with Newfoundsand.
Right after crushing the glass into a lower quality sand, says Blackwood, it can be taken home and put to use.
“This sand recycled today can go right into your garden,” said Blackwood.
The volunteer run co-op plans on setting up collection stations throughout the province as it continues to work towards partnering with local municipalities and organizations.
Those who donated glass to the the cause walked away with a small jar of the recycled glass as a keepsake.
One of the most special parts of the event Saturday for Saunders was people bringing glass containers used for locally produced goods .
“Something made here and then continues its life locally being recycled right here,” said Saunders.
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