Glass recycling comes to JCCC
It’s big, it’s purple, and it’s helping keep glass out of landfills.
And now, it’s on the Johnson County Community College campus.
In July, Ripple Glass delivered one its distinctive purple containers to the parking lot north of the warehouse at the northwest corner of the campus, hoping to entice the thousands of people who make their way to the campus every day to drop off glass for recycling on their way to or from work or classes.
JCCC’s neighbors are invited to use the container as well. It’s easily visible from College Boulevard, and readily accessible from the College Boulevard west entrance.
Placing the bin at JCCC fills a hole in Ripple’s glass recycling coverage in Johnson County, said Jay Antle, director of the college’s Center for Sustainability. The nearest glass recycling drop-off site before the container’s arrival at JCCC was the city of Overland Park’s recycling center at 119th Street and Hardy.
JCCC had been considered as a site when Ripple first launched, Antle said, but the lack of an onsite recycling coordinator meant that the college passed on that opportunity. With the arrival of Michael Rea as recycling coordinator, Antle said the opportunity was back on the table. The college waited about a year for the container to arrive.
Antle cautioned that the bin will remain on campus as long as it gets filled regularly. “It’s a use it or lose it kind of operation,” he said.
The bin holds about five tons of glass – or roughly 20,000 bottles and jars – when it’s full, according to Stacia Stelk, executive director for Ripple Glass.
The organization expects that the container will be taken away for a few hours twice a month to be emptied when it’s full. Otherwise, it’s available for recycling 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
According to the Ripple Glass website, all brown, green, blue and clear glass food and beverage containers can be placed in the bin. You don’t have to remove labels or rinse the containers. Please do not place plate glass windows, mirrors, Pyrex or Corning ware, ceramics or dishes in the bins.