What happens to donated glass that can’t be sold at Goodwill? It just might end up as a brick in your next house

Glass that can’t be sold at Goodwill stores usually winds up doomed to the landfill, but a new partnership with Clemson University could help recycle it into a raw material for bricks, insulation and patio pavers.

That’s the vision behind a new partnership between Clemson’s National Brick Research Center and Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina.

More tests need to be conducted before researchers know whether Goodwill’s unsold glass could end up in real-world products, such as bricks for a house, but the partnership is off to a productive start.

It has already given Clemson students a chance to conduct lab research into recycling glass, while raising hopes that Goodwill could find a new home for its largest waste stream–unwanted glass and ceramics.

“Fortunately, these materials have the potential for beneficial reuse in traditional ceramic, such as clay brick and other traditional ceramics such as tile and sanitary ware, including dishes, toilets and bathroom fixtures,” said John Sanders, the center’s director. “Glass in particular can be used as a direct replacement for raw materials.”

Grinding glass into a material for bricks could pack a triple-punch for sustainability.

First, it would keep glass out of landfills, addressing a major waste challenge. Second, it would reduce the need to mine raw materials for brick production, preserving natural resources. And third, it would lower the firing temperature required to make bricks, cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

The roots of the partnership can be traced to a study Melanie Gearhart launched a year and a half ago as director of sustainability for the education-and-career-services organization Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina.

She started looking into dumpsters and talking to team members to see what the 40-store nonprofit was sending to landfills. She recalled seeing lots of cardboard and plastic, but it became increasingly clear that the greatest amount of weight likely came from glass and ceramics.

Other Goodwill organizations across the country have grappled with similar challenges and have also sought innovative solutions, including securing grants to purchase glass pulverizers. Gearhart plans to have one installed this spring in Greenville.

But that leaves a critical question: What should she do with the sand and bits of glass it will render? Elsewhere, Goodwills have experimented with using pulverized glass to address a global sand shortage, replenish eroding beaches, or sell vibrant chunks for crafting projects.

Gearhart had a flash of inspiration of her own while sorting through emails. She came across an unrelated message from a brick manufacturer and decided to reach out.

Gearhart asked whether sand from crushed glass could be used in bricks. She was told it could be a possibility and put in touch with Sanders.

The National Brick Research Center is a natural fit to answer Gearhart’s question because it has deep ties to the brick industry and unique capabilities in researching ceramics and sustainable building materials.

Sanders said that some of the center’s industrial sponsors are already using recycled glass and that some are interested but don’t have a local source. Meanwhile, Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina has glass to recycle but nowhere to put it, he said.

“I am trying to connect the two and solve any technical issues that may arise along the way,” Sanders said.

Gearhart’s call to Sanders came just a few days before the start of the fall semester but in time to inspire three research projects in Materials Science 4070, the capstone design course he teaches to seniors who are majoring in materials science and engineering.

One group of four students is researching the benefits of reusing waste glass in fired clay brick, while another group of four is studying whether recycled glass could help make Aircrete, possibly for use as insulation. A group of six is exploring how recycled glass could be a material for semi-permeable pavers.

All three projects are giving students hands-on lab experience, teaching them how to systematically develop a product and underscoring the positive impact they can have on the world. It’s a message that has hit home for Hunter Barlow, who is part of the group researching semi-permeable pavers.

“Our landfills are filling up,” she said. “We have a giant mass of garbage floating in the ocean, and no one is cleaning it up. One of the ways we can do that is by taking the glass that people are just throwing in the trash and then crushing it up into that fine powder, then putting it in things to try and help reduce the amount that goes to the landfill.”

Gearhart said that as Sanders and his students conduct their research, she wants donors to continue dropping off their glass and ceramics to Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina, even if it doesn’t all end up getting sold.

“Our quest is to help people get rid of their stuff and to empower our job seekers to find employment, so the more the merrier,” Gearhart said. “I just want people to understand that we are seeking sustainable outlets for the donations that we are provided. We’re going to do everything that we can to be the best for our planet and our people.”


About Goodwill Industries of the Upstate/Midlands South Carolina:

Goodwill Industries of the Upstate/Midlands South Carolina (GIUMSC) is a locally owned and operated non-profit within the Goodwill Industries International, Inc. network. Founded in May 1973, GIUMSC has served the people of South Carolina for more than 50 years to create generational success for job seekers, families and communities. Goodwill’s 41 retail stores across 16 counties turn donors’ generosity into new treasures for shoppers. More than 90 cents of every dollar spent is then invested back into providing life-changing education and career services at no cost. Last year, the non-profit kept 42 million pounds of goods out of the landfill.