Remember when glass collected in Tacoma went to the landfill? Recycling is back
Remember when Tacoma put a pause on glass recycling? That period is now over.
The city has partnered with Portland-based company, Glass to Glass, to resume sending glass collected at drop-off locations to recycling plants following “a thorough environmental and economic analysis,” according to a city news release Thursday. The change is effective Jan. 2.
On Sept. 24, the city announced that all collected glass would head to the landfill for the time being because of “unexpected changes in the international glass market.” The city’s former glass-recycling processor, Strategic Materials Inc., was facing low demand and could no longer accept glass for recycling, city spokesperson Maria Lee told The News Tribune at the time.
The newspaper also learned that a glass-manufacturing facility in Seattle called Ardagh, which formerly bought crushed glass processed by Strategic Materials, was facing unfavorable market conditions for its U.S.-produced glass. Ardagh, a global bottle and container manufacturer, laid off 244 workers at its Seattle location effective July 1, The Seattle Times reported.
The city of Tacoma replaced its residential curbside glass pick-up program in early 2021 with drop-off stations in early 2021, according to the city website.
“We’re pleased to provide our customers with a reliable glass recycling option again and hope the community feels confident in participating in Tacoma’s glass recycling program,” the city’s Solid Waste Division manager Lewis Griffith said in the news release.
Residents can drop off glass at five locations in Tacoma. They include the Tacoma Recycle Center at the Tacoma Recovery and Transfer Center at 3510 S. Mullen St. Open hours, materials collected and locations are available at tacomarecycles.org/glass.
This story was originally published January 2, 2025 at 1:53 PM.
