Roeland Park council approves glass recycling bin for northeast Johnson County

Roeland Park will be the glass collection point for northeast Johnson County as part of a glass recycling program by a new company, Ripple Glass.

The Roeland Park City Council last week unanimously approved the in the Lowe’s/Price Chopper parking lot at 51st Street and Roe Avenue as the collection point for a public glass collection bin.

Councilwoman Megan England, the council liaison for the city’s sustainability committee, said the bin would be placed at the site starting after Labor Day. It is one of 40 bins purchased by the Mid America Regional Council.

The bins will be emptied by Ripple Glass, which was started by the owners of Boulevard Brewery. Founded by Mike Utz, John McDonald and Jeff Krum in partnership with investors, Ripple Glass will process waste glass containers and develop partnerships with waste haulers and end users of glass.

“We were very fortunate to be chosen as one of the locations for the site,” England said. “There will be no cost to the city.”

The city’s responsibilities are cleaning up any broken glass and contacting Ripple Glass when the bin is full.

City administrator John Carter said that the shopping center’s management was excited about the addition of the bin. “They’re ecstatic because it not only reduces the waste stream of their tenants, it also increases traffic flow to the site,” he said.

England said that glass placed in the container would not need to be sorted. She said that a door-to-door campaign would be conducted to let residents know about the program. “We’re hoping to drive people to the core of our business community,” she said.

In other action, England nominated Councilman Mark Kohles as council president to replace Councilwoman Toni Hull. Kohles seconded the action.

Other council members said that Hull was supposed to serve a four-year term and had only served two years. Hull said that she was surprised by the action and would like to continue serving as president. The vote failed, 2-5.