O-I Glass, Inc. has completed the development and testing of a transformative, low-cost mobile glass processing machine that is easily transported and deployed to clean and crush recycled glass to be used as recycled content. Dubbed “MOGRA” (Moblie Glass Recycling Asset), the mobile processing system creates opportunities to recycle glass into furnace-ready glass where there was previously no infrastructure.
“MOGRA builds on the long tradition of innovating the sustainable capabilities of glass packaging by enabling O-I to deploy full-service, closed-loop recycling programs with our customers and local communities, while generating furnace-ready cullet for producing glass packaging with increased recycled content,” said Randy Burns, chief sustainability and corporate affairs officer for O-I. Through the agile, transformative capabilities of MOGRA, O-I is increasing our network capability to pursue our sustainability and recycling goals in an effective manner with a single asset.”
MOGRA systems are engineered to fit on a truck trailer, enabling it to be moved and co-located at O-I facilities or other locations anywhere, across the U.S. The system can be unpacked, plugged in, and operational within a single day, quickly processing glass packaging for recycling from brewers, distillers, bottlers, or communities into localized raw material for making glass with recycled content. The mobility of the MOGRA system increases the viability of glass recycling by reducing logistical details, transportation costs and associated emissions.
MOGRA has been engineered to crush glass to a specified size, while removing any metallic content, such as caps, closures, and capsules, to improve the overall quality of the glass for recycling. The mobile system can process up to 6,000 MT of glass packaging per year.
“As recycled content continues to be a priority in helping our customers to achieve their sustainability goals, innovative solutions from O-I will help the company to increase the cullet content of our glass packaging, and advance the overall sustainability of our packaging options,” said Burns. “Glass is 100 percent and endlessly recyclable, and by solving for gaps in processing glass for recycling, we are helping our glass packaging to live up to its full potential in the circular economy.”
O-I has the goal to increase the recycled content of its packaging to a global average of 50 percent. Glass is made with four basic ingredients, limestone, soda ash, silica sand and cullet (recycled glass). Increasing the volume of cullet used in glass production conserves natural resources and reduces the energy needed to produce glass packaging. Cullet melts at a lower temperature, and every ten percent of recycled glass used reduces overall emissions by five percent. Each ton of cullet used to make glass packaging conserves 1.6 tons of natural resources for future generations.
