New York Governor and Alfred University team up to improve local glass recycling

Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo has announced a new collaboration with the State College of Ceramics at Alfred University to strengthen markets for recycled glass and improve the quality of glass available for recovery throughout New York.

The Center for Glass Innovation was first announced in the Governor's 2020 State of the State Address and will help find new ways to produce and recycle glass.

The State University of New York (SUNY) statutory unit at Alfred University will receive nearly $1.7 million for this initiative through the State's Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) as part of a three-year agreement.

"The College of Ceramics at Alfred University is playing a critical role in enhancing recycling markets and the overall economic revival of the Southern Tier," Governor Cuomo said.

"This first-ever Center for Glass Innovation builds on our efforts partnering the best academic institutions with industry experts to develop strategies to make New York a cleaner and greener state.

“The investment will also help to ensure our students have the education and skills they need for new opportunities and jobs in the green economy of the future."

As a major focus of this initiative, the New York State College of Ceramics (NYSCC) will form the Center for Glass Innovation as a research resource for glass producers in New York State and in the future across the USA.

The centre will create space for basic and applied research, user facilities, and experimental glass tanks for applied, industrial-scale research, with an emphasis on creating higher value end markets for curb-side collected glass.

This will be the first centre of its kind in the United States where glass companies will be able to test small batches of new glass compositions in a pilot production environment.

SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras said: "With the launching of the Center for Glass Innovation, the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University will be at the epicentre of the glass industry's growth and evolution.

“The College of Ceramics will collaborate with industry-leading private companies to develop next generation glass materials, make manufacturing processes more energy efficient, and uncover ways to reuse glass that would otherwise be dumped into a landfill.”