An energy-efficient approach to increasing glass recycling rates and yielding diverse products, including Glass fragments are transformed into commercially valuable liquid silicate. Source: University of Queenslandfertilizers and toothpaste, is being pioneered at Australia’s University of Queensland.

The proprietary process extracts silicate, the major component of glass, in liquid form, and can make use of colored and broken glass that currently cannot be recycled and is instead landfilled. The chemical treatment, estimated to be over 50% cheaper than existing liquid silicate production methods, produces about 1 kg of silica gel from 1.3 kg of waste glass.

Silicates used in the manufacture of a range of products from household adhesives to toothpastes are conventionally derived in an energy-intensive glass fabrication route. The new process instead converts waste glass into commercially valuable silicate in a more efficient means.

UniQuest, the university's commercialization company, is seeking partner companies interested in taking the technology to market.