Largest Recycled Glass Sand Mound in Pennsylvania Proposed

The Moselem Springs Golf Club, in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center and Ludgate Engineering Corp., announced the construction of a new, state-of-the-art on-lot wastewater treatment system.

The environmentally friendly glass-sand for this system is made from crushed, recycled glass, as supplied by Cougles Recycling Inc. of Hamburg.

The new treatment system, designed by Ludgate Engineering with planning assistance from the Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center, will service the club house, grill room, and a small motel. The on-lot system is designed in accordance with DEP requirements.

Given geographic limitations, manufactured glass-sand is less costly than natural sand. When clear, brown and green glass is broken and color mixed, there is not presently a local alternative for use of this material in the manufacture of new bottles.

As a manufactured aggregate, the glass sand is less dense than natural sand, so the glass weighs less per cubic yard. The result of using the less dense material is reduced equipment wear and reduced fuel consumption during construction of the system. Further, due to the process for manufacturing the glass-sand, the glass-sand is not sharp.

To date, this 5,400 square-foot sandmound is the largest known sandmound in Pennsylvania constructed from recycled glass and is replacing a treatment system that has served the Moselem Springs Golf Club for over 40 years.

It is estimated that 1,500 tons of manufactured glass-sand, originating primarily from beverage bottles processed at Cougles Recycling, Inc. will be used in the project.

Estimated measurable results of the project include: 1,500 tons of glass beneficially reused, equal to the weight of almost 7 Statues of Liberty; $10,000 cost savings in using recycled glass; $195,000 cost avoided to dispose the material if not recycled; and annual global climate change air emissions reduction - 45 tons of Carbon Dioxide.

The Moselem Springs Golf Club is located at 684 Eagle Rd in Fleetwood. Moselem Springs Golf Club has other environmentally-friendly initiatives underway at the property.

The club is planning the second phase of a stream restoration project. This project involves the removal of an on-stream pond and dam on Moselem Creek, while stabilizing a tributary of the same creek. It is projected these stream restoration efforts will increase oxygenation of the stream while reducing stream temperature, erosion, and sedimentation potential. This will directly improve stream habitat for cold water fish species.

The Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center is a non-profit organization charged with reducing barriers to development of markets for recyclable materials in the Commonwealth. Headquartered at Penn State Harrisburg, the RMC can be contacted at 717-948-6660 and is supported in part by grant funds from DEP.


7/13/2007

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