Web Innovations Technology Inc. in Danville is now accepting glass for recycling from both residents and businesses in Vermilion and surrounding counties.
The company, familiarly known as WITS, has been taking computer equipment and other electronics, plus newspapers, books and magazines, office paper, plastic, cardboard, tin and aluminum for some time.
Large cardboard boxes and wire bins are labeled to facilitate sorting these items by people who want to recycle. These containers have been placed along the front of the business at 1507 N. Bowman Ave.
"We're just getting started," said Jasmine Garvin, WITS administrative assistant. "Glass recycling bins will be outside with the rest of the collection receptacles. We ask that people sort the glass by color — clear, brown and all other colors."
The large cardboard boxes, called gaylords or bulk bins, sit on wooden pallets. When WITS accumulates 10 filled gaylords, then it has a contract with CPR Enterprises of Decatur to pick them up.
The glass bulk bins are on the south portion of the front of the building.
Steffanie Fulton, supervisor over household items, said she hopes to get all recycling bulk bins in the same area in the near future.
For now, people with numerous items to drop off will have to make two stops along the front of the building.
"We're getting anxious to pick up our first load," said Connie Kraft, a partner in CPR Enterprises. "I hear they're pretty close."
The Decatur company crushes the glass into half-inch-size pieces and sells it back to glass manufacturers.
"They don't have to use as much heat to process the broken-down glass as it takes when creating new glass, so it saves the manufacturers on heating," Kraft said. "What can't be sold to manufacturers, we grind down into glass sand, which rounds off the edges and makes it possible to handle it. I've used it in decorative landscaping. It really sparkles when the sun hits it."
For now, CPR is focusing on selling the glass it handles to the manufacturers, but the sand can be bought in bulk and is usable as a substitute for regular sand.
WITS will accept food and beverage glass containers. People are asked to rinse out all glass containers before dropping them off.
Garvin said the company had been wanting to start glass recycling sooner but had to find a company willing to accept glass in the quantity that is expected to be collected in this area. With CPR on board, the addition of glass recycling is a go.
