As Georgetown residents celebrated the closure of Ardagh Glass Packaging in July 2024 following ongoing environmental violations, it was Ardagh’s announcement in Nov. 2024 that they were closing permanently due to their inability to financially meet environmental obligations while competing with lower priced imports, that sent shockwaves through the waste management industry.
Ardagh's closure highlights the vulnerability of our recycling infrastructure to disruptions. As they were the largest market for recycled glass in our region, it is now being stored in temporary storage facilities in King County and Washington State.
Understanding the challenges of finding new markets for recycled glass and developing the investor relationships needed for the next generation of recycling facilities for glass is going to take some time. To address the immediate challenge, Seattle Public Utilities, in collaboration with King County Solid Waste Division, are seeking innovative solutions that will effectively address the growing bounty of recycled glass in the meantime.
For this years Science Fair design challenge, we are inviting artists, designers, and engineers to explore creative and industrial applications for recycled glass, while the dedicated teams in waste management work towards building the relationships needed for resilient circular economy solutions for recycled glass in Washington State.
If you need access to recycled glass for your project, please email us: sciencefair@georgetownsteamplant.org
The following form will allow you to easily upload the details of your project.
We can’t wait to see your amazing solutions come to life.